Stem cells in space: microgravity effects on stem cell fate and implications for regenerative medicine.

Microgravity offers a unique platform for understanding how physical forces influence the fate and function of stem cells. This review integrates recent findings on genomic, epigenetic, and mechanotransductive responses of diverse stem cell types under actual and simulated microgravity conditions. It uniquely relates these biological insights with space-based biomanufacturing, translational applications, and ethical frameworks, highlighting how space-enabled stem cell research advances regenerative medicine both in orbit and on Earth.