Scientists from the California Institute of Technology have created a method for making see-through laboratory mice and rats to be used for medical and anatomical studies.
Mice have proven to be invaluable in many research experiments.
Now, scientists from the California Institute of Technology have created a method for making see-through laboratory mice and rats to be used for medical and anatomical studies.
After euthanizing the rodents and removing their skin, scientists treat them with chemicals to make their inner organs transparent.
Connective tissue and the bones remain intact, while the rest of the mouse reportedly looks like a gelatin substance.
The first study where scientists made a see-through mouse was successful, and as part of the study, marker liquids were injected to highlight specific proteins.
It took most of the mouse organs two days to become clear after being treated with detergent and gel , and the entire body became clear after two weeks.
Researchers use mice and rats in laboratory studies because they have a biology that is similar to human beings.
The method for making a transparent body could be useful for mapping the nervous system, biopsy, or finding cancer cells.
This study is proof of concept for a scientific technique that might also help diagnose certain kinds of disease in humans, by giving scientists a new way to study tissues and organs in the lab.
