{
    "id": 31382,
    "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31382/",
    "page_type": "Hyperwall Visual",
    "title": "Bone Loss Research Aboard the ISS",
    "description": "The experiment tests how microgravity affects bone-forming and bone-degrading cells and explore potential ways to prevent bone loss. This research could help protect astronauts on future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, while also advancing treatments for millions of people on Earth who suffer from osteoporosis.",
    "release_date": "2026-04-01T12:00:00-04:00",
    "update_date": "2026-04-10T14:53:38.798954-04:00",
    "main_image": {
        "id": 1202884,
        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/cell-samples-jsc2025e065389.png",
        "filename": "cell-samples-jsc2025e065389.png",
        "media_type": "Image",
        "alt_text": "Microscopic images of bone-forming stem cells and osteoclasts",
        "width": 1920,
        "height": 1080,
        "pixels": 2073600
    },
    "main_video": null,
    "main_credits": {},
    "progress": "Complete",
    "media_groups": [
        {
            "id": 380000,
            "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31382/#media_group_380000",
            "widget": "Single image",
            "title": "",
            "caption": "Microscopic images of bone-forming stem cells and osteoclasts",
            "description": "",
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": 519886,
                    "type": "media",
                    "extra_data": null,
                    "title": null,
                    "caption": "",
                    "instance": {
                        "id": 1202884,
                        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/cell-samples-jsc2025e065389.png",
                        "filename": "cell-samples-jsc2025e065389.png",
                        "media_type": "Image",
                        "alt_text": "Microscopic images of bone-forming stem cells and osteoclasts",
                        "width": 1920,
                        "height": 1080,
                        "pixels": 2073600
                    }
                },
                {
                    "id": 520469,
                    "type": "media",
                    "extra_data": null,
                    "title": null,
                    "caption": "",
                    "instance": {
                        "id": 1203197,
                        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/cell-samples-jsc2025e065389-png.hwshow",
                        "filename": "cell-samples-jsc2025e065389-png.hwshow",
                        "media_type": "HyperwallShow",
                        "alt_text": "Microscopic images of bone-forming stem cells and osteoclasts",
                        "width": 0,
                        "height": 0,
                        "pixels": null
                    }
                }
            ],
            "extra_data": {}
        },
        {
            "id": 380002,
            "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31382/#media_group_380002",
            "widget": "Basic text",
            "title": "",
            "caption": "",
            "description": "During long-duration missions, astronauts may experience a gradual reduction in bone density—typically around 1% to 2% per month—even with consistent exercise routines. While scientists understand how bones work on Earth, they aren’t sure exactly why bones weaken so quickly in microgravity.\r\n\r\nPrevious research aboard the space station revealed that microgravity changes how stem cells behave and what substances they release. Scientists now want to dig deeper into these cellular changes to better understand what causes bone loss in space and explore potential ways to prevent it.\r\n\r\nThe Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-B (MABL-B) investigation focuses on special stem cells called mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs. As these cells mature, they build new bone tissue in the body.\r\n\r\nScientists suspect that a protein called IL-6 might be the culprit behind bone problems in space. Data from the earlier MABL-A mission suggests that microgravity promotes the type of IL-6 signaling that enhances bone degradation. The MABL-B experiment will investigate this by testing ways to block this IL-6 signaling pathway.\r\n\r\nThe experiment will grow mesenchymal stem cells alongside other bone cells in special containers designed for space research. Cells will be cultured for 19 days aboard the space station, with crew members periodically collecting samples for analysis back on Earth.\r\n\r\nThe research could lead to targeted treatments that protect astronauts from bone loss during long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As crews venture farther from Earth, bone health becomes increasingly critical since medical evacuation or emergency return to Earth won't be possible during Mars missions.\r\n\r\nThe findings could provide new insights into age-related bone loss that affects millions of people on Earth. Understanding how the IL-6 protein affects bone health may lead to new treatments for osteoporosis and other bone conditions that come with aging.",
            "items": [],
            "extra_data": {}
        },
        {
            "id": 380001,
            "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31382/#media_group_380001",
            "widget": "Single image",
            "title": "",
            "caption": "Sample holders for the MABL-B experiment",
            "description": "",
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": 519888,
                    "type": "media",
                    "extra_data": null,
                    "title": null,
                    "caption": "",
                    "instance": {
                        "id": 1202886,
                        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/case-combined-jsc2025e065387-1080p.png",
                        "filename": "case-combined-jsc2025e065387-1080p.png",
                        "media_type": "Image",
                        "alt_text": "Sample holders for the MABL-B experiment",
                        "width": 1920,
                        "height": 1080,
                        "pixels": 2073600
                    }
                },
                {
                    "id": 519887,
                    "type": "media",
                    "extra_data": null,
                    "title": null,
                    "caption": "",
                    "instance": {
                        "id": 1202885,
                        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/case-combined-jsc2025e065387.jpg",
                        "filename": "case-combined-jsc2025e065387.jpg",
                        "media_type": "Image",
                        "alt_text": "Sample holders for the MABL-B experiment",
                        "width": 3191,
                        "height": 1795,
                        "pixels": 5727845
                    }
                },
                {
                    "id": 520470,
                    "type": "media",
                    "extra_data": null,
                    "title": null,
                    "caption": "",
                    "instance": {
                        "id": 1203198,
                        "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031300/a031382/case-combined-jsc2025e065387-jpg.hwshow",
                        "filename": "case-combined-jsc2025e065387-jpg.hwshow",
                        "media_type": "HyperwallShow",
                        "alt_text": "Sample holders for the MABL-B experiment",
                        "width": 0,
                        "height": 0,
                        "pixels": null
                    }
                }
            ],
            "extra_data": {}
        }
    ],
    "studio": "hw",
    "funding_sources": [],
    "credits": [
        {
            "role": "Technical support",
            "people": [
                {
                    "name": "Amy Moran",
                    "employer": "Global Science and Technology, Inc."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "missions": [],
    "series": [],
    "tapes": [],
    "papers": [],
    "datasets": [],
    "nasa_science_categories": [
        "Earth"
    ],
    "keywords": [
        "Biological & Physical Sciences",
        "Human Health",
        "ISS",
        "Microgravity"
    ],
    "recommended_pages": [],
    "related": [],
    "sources": [],
    "products": [],
    "newer_versions": [],
    "older_versions": [],
    "alternate_versions": []
}