MicroAge mission: experimental design and hardware for a bespoke culture system supporting tissue-engineered skeletal muscle
MicroAge presents hardware and protocols for culturing tissue‑engineered human skeletal muscle on the ISS, using Kayser Space–built flight hardware compatible with ESA's Kubik incubator and 3D‑printed scaffolds incorporating microfluidic channels. The study used AB1167 myobundles and tested HSP10 overexpression as a proof‑of‑concept mitigation for microgravity‑induced atrophy, providing a translational framework for screening geroprotective interventions and studying accelerated muscle ageing.
Why it mattersESA Kubik–validated hardware (Kayser Space) enables prioritizing muscle‑atrophy drug screening platforms for clinical translation.