UK Health Radio Medical News Update - Transparent Bodies

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

Transparent Bodies

A very interesting report from the BBC says that a way has been found to turn an entire body transparent.

Developed by scientists studying rodents the report in the journal Cell, describes a technique that keeps tissues intact while it allows key body parts and connections to be seen. This could help visualise how separate organs interact and pave the way for a new generation of treatments.  The method could also be used to detect the spread of viruses and cancers in human tissue.

For almost a century scientists have attempted to turn opaque organs see-through, but most techniques that have been tried have damaged tissues, bringing a halt to further medical tests.

The fatty lipid molecules present in cells can distort light rays, rendering tissues opaque. But processes used to dissolve them previously have resulted in organs being deprived of this key element of structural support, the result being a formless mass of material.

California Institute of Technology researchers now say, however, that they have achieved the "biologists' dream".

Building on previous work the team have developed a three-stage technique:

• A soft plastic-like mesh provides support to tissues

• A molecular detergent is continually infused via the bloodstream, dissolving away lipids and making organs transparent

• Specific tracing dyes and tagging molecules are added to the infusion to flag up the most important connections.

Using this method in laboratory testing on rodents, researchers were able to clear whole kidneys, hearts, lungs and intestines within three days and the entire body within two weeks.

 

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

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