Real-Time Micrography of Mouse Preimplantation Embryos in an Orbit Module on SJ-8 Satellite

The developmental capacity of mouse embryos in the Chinese SJ-8 Satellite was observed by real time micrography and telecontrol image transmission. Frozen/thawed 4-cell embryos and blastocysts injected with mouse epidemical stem cells were placed in a specially sealed embryonic incubator, and then the incubator was loaded in a space embryonic culture box devised for space-flight. After the satellite launched and arrived at the anticipated orbit, the real time micrography device was opened based on the telecontrol operational technology. Real time micrographs of the mouse embryos were obtained and stored every 3 hours, then the data of images were transmitted at the suitable time. The experiment persisted for 72 hours. The results showed that during space-flight, most mouse embryos cultured in the sealed culture unit kept integrity and natural structure, their location had minor change, but the embryos did not develop. However, the experiment performed on the ground in the same device showed that 4-cell mouse embryos could develop to blastocysts and hatched blastocysts. It may be concluded that the space environment, especially the change of gravity was likely to harm development of the mouse embryo.