This Chinese technique can make your brain and heart transparent
What's the story
A team of Chinese scientists has developed a groundbreaking technique to make organs like the brain and heart transparent. The innovative method provides an exceptionally clear view of the inner workings of these organs, without compromising their biological structures. The research was led by a team from Tsinghua University and published in the journal Cell.
Methodology
The method uses fluorescent dyes
The new technique uses fluorescent dyes to highlight cells and molecules, while improving their brightness. This allows for the creation of "highly accurate and vivid" 3D images of organs. The researchers wrote that their method could unravel the individual human neurons' micro-connectivity in the brain, as well as study mouse organs.
Innovation
Preparing a ionic glassy tissue
The Tsinghua University team has developed a method that prepares ionic glassy tissue. This tissue is highly transparent and retains the original morphology of the organ. At low temperatures, these tissues form a glassy solid that maintains its structural integrity over long periods of time. This innovation could revolutionize how the scientists study organs without damaging their internal structures by cutting through them.