|
Scientific breeding of consistently see-through zebrafish has paved the way to real-time observation of disease growth and development. Researchers from the Children's Hospital Boston are able to observe the effects of transplanting tumor cells to living organisms, by observing how cancer develops on the fish' internal organs.
Of course, other effects can be seen in the change of behavior and activity of the fish, but to "see" how cancer cells grow, scientists are keeping a literal eye on the tumors. The zebrafish has a genetic makeup very similar to human beings, thus being a great model for studying and fighting the spread of cancer in humans.
Zebrafish are commonly used for disease development observation thanks to their natural ability to be transparent right after birth. And scientists say that the adult Zebra fish exhibits the right amount of sensitivity to cancer cells. Four weeks into its life, however, its outer skin will begin to turn opaque, hindering any further visual observation.
"It's like taking a photograph when you need a video," said Richard White, a member of Stem Cell Program at the Children's Hospital Boston. The new breed of zebrafish, according to the scientific journal "Cell Stem Cell," stays transparent throughout its lifetime. More developments on this as they roll in.
Photo of transparent female Zebra fish courtesy of Children's Boston Hospital.
|
|
