Scientists send "mighty mice" to the ISS aboard SpaceX spacecraft

13 Dec 2019

Scientists send “mighty mice” to the ISS aboard SpaceX spacecraft

Scientists send “mighty mice” to the ISS aboard SpaceX spacecraftResearchers from the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine (JAX-GM) have sent genetically-engineered “mighty mice” to the International Space Station aboard (ISS) on the SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

This spacecraft also had CIMON-2 on board.

The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US.
 	These mice are special, as they have been genetically engineered to lack myostatin - a protein that restrains muscle growth. Therefore, they display approximately twice the average muscle mass.
 	They will spend the next 30 days in space to help researchers understand the impact of micro-gravity on muscle and bone degeneration.
 	The scientists hope to understand how to prevent muscle and bone loss in astronauts during space flight — especially on longer missions.

This study will also be valuable in understanding muscle degeneration in humans on Earth — in elderly and those who are bed-ridden, people with rare diseases and those with conditions associated with muscle-wasting.

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Researchers from the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine (JAX-GM) have sent genetically-engineered “mighty mice” to the International Space Station aboard (ISS) on the SpaceX’s Dragon […]

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Comments: 2

rakshitchauhan says:

13 December 2019 at 5:50 pm

good question but not very hard

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Shefali Ahuja-Gupta says:

16 December 2019 at 12:55 pm

Hi Rakshit,

Great that you found the question easy to answer. Sometimes, the questions are meant to reinstate the gist of the article.

Stay curious!

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