ESCD experiment is included in the scientific program of South African cosmonaut Mark Shuttleworth and is a constituent part of the Russian Program for Implementation of Scientific and Technological Research Planned for the Fourth Manned Expedition ISS-4.

SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT USED:

• BioTherm incubator made by Cryologic (Australia) with a biological materials insert;
  for actively thermostatting the biological materials at a temperature of 38.5°.

• Glovebox
  for accommodating inside it the incubator and an accessories box for the duration of the experiment in space flight environment.
• Thermal insulation container CPCF-2 made by Astrium (Germany)
  to provide a thermally controlled storage environment for the biological materials insert during its transportation from orbit;
• Accessories kit
  - syringes;
  - needles;
  - waste container;
  - adapter with power cord;
  - battery (a spare).

SUPPORT EQUIPMENT:

• Camera NIKON F5.

CONSUMABLES:

• 35-mm film.

THE OBJECTIVE:

A study of embryonic and stem cell development in zero-gravity environment.

THE TASKS:

• growing cultures of mammalian embryos (mice and sheep) in the incubator in zero gravity;
• growing stem (undifferentiated) cells in incubator in zero gravity;
• growing body (tissue) cells in incubator in zero gravity;
• comparing cells that were experimentally grown in zero gravity with those grown in an incubator (in vitro) on the ground and in test animals (in vivo).

EXPECTED RESULTS:

An evaluation of space flight factors impact on the viability and development of embryonic and stem cells outside an animal's body (in vitro) in order to obtain an in-depth knowledge of how these cells develop inside an animal's body (in vivo) and the level of effects produced by gravity.