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be inhaled. Mechanical friction is reduced. Microgravity impacts cellular metabolism, cell migration and reproduction. Interestingly, MPT provides clear evidence the epidermis of the two male astronauts became thinner by more than 10 percent: the mean epidermis thickness decreased from 57 to 49 µm (14 percent) on the thinnest area, and from 67µm down to 57µm (15 percent) on the thickest inves- tigated site. The decrease was observed within the living cell layers of the epider- mis and not within the dead-cell layerstra - tum corneum. The observed thinning of the epidermis did not correspond to other significant signs of skin ageing such as flat- tening of the epidermal-dermal junction. Also the lower part of the skin, the der- mis, changed. In particular, the extracellu- ar matrix components elastin and collagen Skin problems underwent modifications. Interestingly, there was a strong increase in the amount of collagen and in the ratio of collagen to elastin compared with pre-flight condi- in outer space Above Alexander Gerst, here seen aboard the ISS, was one measurements are performed at the Euro- tions. This observation is in contrast to of the astronauts studied as pean Astronaut Centre in Cologne. So far, ageing effects on Earth. In fact, the moni- Humans could reach Mars in the next 20 years. part of the Skin B project ESA astronauts Luca Parmitano, Alex- tored collagen-elastin ratio increase results Professor Karsten Koenig of JenLab explains the Left An astronaut during a spacewalk. Zero gravity has a ander Gerst and Samantha Cristoforetti in an ‘anti-ageing’ effect, as observed with dangers such a spaceflight could pose to the number of long-term effects have been studied. Parmitano launched on certain cosmetic products on Earth. on the health of human skin health of an astronaut’s skin March 28, 2013 from the Baikonur Cos- However, thinning of the viable epi- modrome in Kazakhstan, Gerst on May dermis is of no advantage. Dangerous radi- NASA plans to send humans to Mars altitude of 431km. A series of pathophysi- have been performed. There was one pilot to get a precise look inside the skin and to 28, 2014 and Cristoforetti on November ation, such as low-wavelength ultraviolet within the next 20 years. The Red Planet ological modifications have been observed, study conducted in 2006 with a European monitor modifications of the tissue archi- 23, 2014. Their journeys to the ISS were and cosmic radiation can reach the basal is more than 55 million kilometres away but not everybody is a responder. The % astronaut who performed in-flight and tecture and the cellular metabolism. On the ISS, performed with the novel ‘express space- cell layer easily at the epidermis-dermis and it would take at least half a year to get question arises: why do some astronauts 15 post-flight skin measurements. Modifica- The novel imaging technology is called bioparticles craft’ and took less than six hours. Parmi- junction. That most important skin layer there. How safe is such a trip? How do you develop health problems, such as impaired Decrease in skin tions of the dermis, the skin surface, and multiphoton tomography (MPT). MPT from the tano and Gerst spent almost half a year on contains the stem cells and is also the protect the astronaut’s health in the hostile eyesight, and others do not? thickness among the hydration level were observed. Fur- was introduced by the German company stratum the ISS. Cristoforetti is still working there. location where black skin cancer starts. environment of interplanetary space? The some astronauts thermore, the measured increase in the JenLab, with facilities in Jena and Saa- corneum are If an astronaut’s viable epidermis is only astronaut will face cancer-inducing radia- Getting under the skin transepidermal water loss reflected an rbrücken. So far, MPT is mainly used in Dangerous thinning 30µm thin after a six-month expedition, ‘floating’ in tion and maybe massive deep-space solar On Earth, the body is attuned to gravity, impairment of the barrier function of the major hospitals in Australia, California, The novel, high-resolution, MPT imaging his viable skin cell layer can likely shrink to storms. In-spacecraft air pollution, such as with the heart pumping fluids upwards. In outermost skin layer. It seemed the astro- Russia and Western Europe for early the air and technology revealed astonishing long-term less than two cell layers during a one-year skin particles from other crewmembers, weightlessness, the body does not need this naut underwent an accelerated skin ageing detection of skin cancer and to monitor may easily be space effects on the skin. Mars expedition. may cause problems. And, of course, the function. This can result in modifications of process in space. tumour borders during neurosurgery. inhaled Normally our skin thickness stays The good news is the skin effects body will change as a result of the long-term fluidics in the body. TheRadiology journal Skin problems including impaired Furthermore, it became an important relatively constant. Cells produced in the are reversible. When back on Earth, the lack of gravity. reported that about 60 percent of investi- wound healing in space need further tool for major companies such as P&G, lowermost skin cell layer, the stratum epidermis of the two astronauts became Human spaceflights have been per- gated astronauts had high fluid pressure in research activities to protect astronauts’ Chanel, L’Oreal, Beiersdorf and Shizeido basale, migrate to the skin’s surface. On thicker again. Studies are currently being formed since 1961; 541 astronauts and their skull, according to MRI data. Many health during long-term flights and to bet- to evaluate pharmaceutics and cosmetics, the way, they die and form the outermost conducted to monitor the repairing pro- cosmonauts have been to space, corre- astronauts suffered from space headaches ter understand ageing and wound-heal- including nanoparticle-based sunscreens. layer, the stratum corneum. That dead cell cess and to evaluate memory effects. We sponding to about 123 man-years. The (0.56 events/astronaut). In general, astro- ing processes. Therefore, NASA and the In 2014, JenLab was awarded a New Econ- layer acts as a barrier and keeps, for exam- will gain knowledge of the process of record for the longest spaceflight is held nauts face the problem of bone loss similar European Space Agency (ESA) launched omy Award in London and an IAIR Award ple, the water inside our body. Finally, we readapting to gravity. by Russian cosmonaut and space medicine to osteoporosis (one percent per month) and the ‘Skin B’ project, which covers pre- in Milan for the development of the cer- lose the outer dead cells as horny dead Skin can be employed as an early rec- expert Valeri Polyakov, who spent 438 days possess immune system deficits. flight, in-flight on the ISS, and post-flight tified multiphoton tomograph MPTflex. biomaterial (e.g. by mechanical friction) ognition system for physical and mental non-stop in space. Skin impairments are one of the skin measurements on five astronauts. For The Skin B project is ongoing. The and it drops to the ground due to gravity. health status. Further studies are recom- At the moment, most health infor- most frequent health problems that occur the first time in space research, medical in-flight measurements take place aboard This turnover of the epidermis takes one mended to understand why some astro- mation on humans in space is obtained during space missions. For example, skin femtosecond lasers are being employed to Columbus (the ISS’s space lab module) to month – at least on Earth. nauts show severe skin reactions, such as from scientific projects performed during rashes are common on spaceflights. How- obtain label-free optical biopsies with supe- obtain information on skin hydration, the On the ISS, skin physiology is differ- thinning of the epidermis, modifications of six-month stays at the International Space ever, so far no major studies on the effects rior intracellular resolution on astronauts. function of the skin barrier and the skin ent. Bioparticles from the stratum corne- the dermis, and allergic reactions, before Station (ISS), in a low Earth orbit at an of extended space travel on human skin Physically taken biopsies are not required surface. Pre- and post-flight multiphoton um are ‘floating’ in the air and may easily starting the trip to the Red Planet.tne

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