tarkool

tarkool OP t1_j8nxc6i wrote

Also, for those people who are more scientific minded and want to read more about NELL-1, an osteoinductive protein, here are some links to the scientific articles that go more in depth into the research done by Dr. Eric Kang Ting and Dr. Chia Soo and their team:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30352124/

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/15375

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tarkool OP t1_j7wqs7v wrote

Yes this is true, people in space do lose bone density at a faster rate. I stumbled across this article after researching information about Osteoporosis. I too have family member who has it and had gotten numerous fractures over the last few years.

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tarkool OP t1_j7vojn1 wrote

This becomes even more important if we want to start colonizing other planets. Also, this will open the door to humans being able to travel deeper into space for longer time periods. Imagine the possibilities if they were to solve this bone density issue with this experiment.

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tarkool OP t1_j7rsl3g wrote

This experiment marks the first time that UCLA scientists will send rodents to the International Space Station. According to the article, "After living in microgravity and receiving NELL-1 injections for about four weeks, half of the rodents will return from space and land in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja, California."

Dr. Eric Ting Kang first discovered the NELL-1 protein in 1996 and, "NELL-1 has a powerful effect on tissue-specific stem cells that create bone-building cells called osteoblasts. When exposed to NELL-1, the stem cells create osteoblasts that are much more effective at building bone. Furthermore, NELL-1 reduces the function of osteoclasts, which are the cells that break down bone."

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