Japanese scientists are altering the brain's white-colored mice that were previously opaque to crystal clear

Japanese scientists succeeded in creating a transparent brain. By using a solution called SCA le, scientists are altering the brain's white-colored mice that were previously opaque to crystal clear. Created a transparent brain could help scientists see the fluorescent marker inserted in the rat. Medical imaging enters new era with the creation of this transparent brain.

"Our current research is focused on the rat brain, but its application was limited to mice or brain," said Atsushi Miyawaki, RIKEN Brain Institute Japanese researchers who created this transparent brain. "We could develop the use of SCA le to other organs such as heart, muscle and kidney and in tissues of primates and human biopsy samples," continued Miyawaki as quoted by National Geographic, Friday (2/9/2011).

SCA le is a solution made from a material that is relatively simple. Its composition is urea (the main compound in the urine), glycerol (a compound also found in soaps) and detergent called Triton X. To make the brain transparent, the brain organ soaked for 2 weeks in this solution.

Unlike other solutions are also used to help see the brain, the SCA did not eliminate the fluorescent marker le. During this time, a fluorescent marker used to assist fluorescent imaging. Fluorescent imaging techniques alone are used to map the architecture of the brain, ranging network of nerves, blood vessels and other structures.

Created a transparent brain mapping can help the brain architecture. More breadth, transparent organ imaging could help early before a more expensive imaging such as CT and MRI. Applications for disease management, physicians can analyze whether a given treatment actually affects the target organ. These things can not be done before the medical world.

Despite many benefits, le SCA solution will not be widely used soon. Miyawaki said, SCA le is still too toxic to use. "We are currently looking for candidates other reagents that allow us to study the living tissue in the same way with a lower transparency," says Miyawaki. Miyawaki discovery published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Tuesday (09/30/2011) then.