Chinese scientists have developed a technology that can make organs such as the brain or the heart transparent, allowing an exceptionally clear view of their inner workings.
The new method produced “highly accurate and vivid” 3D images of organs by preserving the integrity of their biological structures and enhancing the brightness of the fluorescent dyes scientists use to highlight cells and molecules.
The Tsinghua University-led team wrote in the journal Cell that this method was capable of unravelling individual human neurons’ micro-connectivity in the brain as well as allowing them to study mouse organs.
“[The method] prepares ionic glassy tissue that is highly transparent while maintaining the original tissue morphology,” they wrote.
They added that at low temperatures the tissues formed a glassy solid that maintained its structural integrity and could be stored over the long-term.
Scientists have long been looking for ways to make biological tissues transparent so that they can study organs without damaging their internal structures by cutting through them, according to a Tsinghua University post on Chinese social media on Wednesday.
