Collagen-heparan sulfate microcarriers support mesenchymal stem cell culture in microgravity and streamline post-flight recovery

Cell thaw and expansion were conducted at ambient temperature (22 °C) in serum-free and DMSO-free media. Consequently, the primary objective of the miRNA sequencing was to verify the presence and stability of bioactive cargo within the extracellular vesicle (EV)-enriched fraction.

This genomic analysis serves as a critical quality metric to ensure that the "pre-seed-freeze-thaw-and-expand" logistical framework preserves the integrity of the MSC secretome during orbital transit and post-flight. Small RNA sequencing was performed on EV-enriched fractions isolated from frozen conditioned media processed post-flight to assess the stability of bioactive miRNA signatures across different surface chemistries (engineered HS/COL vs. commercial COL uCs) and gravitational environments.