Space mice may offer clues to why astronauts get kidney stones

Some extraordinary new experiences can be expected when astronauts travel into space. They may face a more mundane and potentially mission-ending stone.

There have been more than 30 reports of stones by astronauts upon returning to earth. Researchers are trying to figure out why space travel is linked to the painful condition.

The worst pain you can experience is when you pass a stone, according to Dr. Stephen Walsh, clinical senior lecturer in experimental medicine and consultant in nephrology at University College London.

There is a cosmonaut who almost had to be de-orbited because of a stone in his urinary tract.

Spending time in microgravity is linked to a drop in bone density, and this loss of calcium into the blood is one possible explanation for the build up of mineral-rich kidney stones in astronauts.

The project wants to dig deeper into these mechanisms.

The team are analyzing the kidneys of 10 mice that were on the International Space Station in late 2020 before being put down onboard, and the 20 mice that were exposed to galactic cosmic radiation in laboratories on Earth. They compared the organs of the mice.

The team say they have early indications that the radiation from the stars may cause damage to the human body, including the kidneys, as well as affecting the transport and metabolism of fats. The researchers said that there were some signs of changes in the cells of the kidneys.

The mice that were exposed to the galactic radiation had lower levels of the proteins involved in transporting the cations. The findings show damage to the powerhouses of cells. That is problematic as a key component of the kidneys, the tubular cells rely on the energy they produce to function.

You might make it to Mars, but we recommend you have yourKidney failure on the way back.

There was a collection of results for the mice that had spent time on the International Space Station.

The dose of radiation given to the mice was equivalent to a year and a half trip, according to Dr. Siew.

The team believes it is possible that the microgravity environment could amplify the impact of the radiation.

The study might be useful for other people.

He said that they were seeing increases in the number of stones occurring on Earth, and that they could bring benefits by improving ways to identify how and why they form. New avenues for preserving healthy tissue in patients on Earth who are undergoing radiotherapy could be opened up by insights into the effects of radiation on astronauts.

Prof Ben Turney, a consultant urological surgeon at the Oxford University hospitals, welcomed the project.

Considering the prevalence of stone disease, the understanding of how the majority of stones form is surprisingly poor. He said that the project will hopefully contribute to the understanding of the processes involved in stone formation.