Scientists make mouse skin transparent using food coloring
Scientists have found a way to temporarily make the skin of mice transparent using a commonly used food coloring. A team led by Zihao Ou, assistant professor of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas, applied a solution of tartrazine, a yellow food coloring, to the skulls and abdomens of live mice. This allowed them to observe the animals’ internal organs and blood vessels without performing surgery. After the dye solution was removed, the skin returned to its normal state without harming the mice.
Optical physics behind the process
The skin’s transparency is achieved by a combination of water and the food coloring tartrazine, also known as FD&C Yellow No. 5. The dye changes the skin’s refractive index, allowing light to pass through more easily by reducing light scatter. This process causes the skin to become translucent in a manner similar to how fog disappears.
Observing organs and brain functions
Researchers used the dye to observe blood vessels just beneath the skull, along with the mouse’s internal organs and muscle contractions in the abdomen. The process involves no incisions or physical damage to the skin or bones, making it a groundbreaking tool for biomedical research. The transparency appears within minutes, similar to how face creams work by dispersing molecules into the skin.
Future applications of the technology
The breakthrough could revolutionize fields such as biomedical imaging and healthcare by providing noninvasive ways to observe internal body structures. If successful in humans, it could be used in medical procedures such as blood draws by making veins more visible. The study, conducted at Stanford University, highlights a major step forward in medical research.
