As human reproduction in outer space remains a mystery, a study was conducted which included sending a range of animals from fruit flies to fish, as well as their eggs, sperm and embryos to outer space for finding out about reproduction outside Earth.
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The research was carried out by Japanese scientists, which led to the finding that it's possible to carry out the first few stages of reproduction in space, but other studies point towards slow development of the embryo due to low gravity.
Many of these studies have been based on IVF using sperm and eggs in orbit. Embryos and already pregnant animals have also been sent to space, The Conversation reported.
The entire process of an animal giving birth in space and giving birth to healthy offspring is yet to be observed though pregnant animals and animals have been sent to space.
Scientists are curious to know the impact of the health hazardous radiations on reproduction. These radiations have the potential to damage our DNA. On Earth, we get exposed to hundred times lower radiations in contrast to the ISS, as we are shielded by the atmosphere.
In the latest study, freeze-dried mouse sperm were sent to ISS to find the effect of the radiation. The frozen sperm weighed almost nothing and could be stored at room temperature and was easy for travelling on rocket or a distant planet.
This sperm was on ISS for 288 days and was sent back to Earth, where it was compared with fresh sperm of the same mice.
The DNA within the sperm was examined by researchers to find how it was affected by the space travel. It was found that the sperm contained high levels of fragmented DNA when compared to the sperm that stayed on Earth. But the space sperm was found to produce a similar number of embryos which were healthy too. The sperm had the potential to give birth to healthy babies which would develop into fertile mice.
The last test that the researchers conducted on the mice was to compare the patterns of genes within the brains of the adult mice. No overall differences were observed by the researchers and it was found that the space sperm had the ability to generate offspring just like the sperm on Earth.
"So, it seems short-term space travel is OK for sperm quality. It somehow seemed that the damaged space sperm was repaired when fertilising the egg, which was from young, healthy mice," The Conversation report stated.
"This suggests eggs can compensate for sperm of poorer quality, mending damaged DNA and ensuring the development of the embryo. However, it would be interesting to see whether eggs, which have been into space, would also mend poor quality sperm just as well," the report added.
