New method for making tissue transparent could speed the study of many diseases naturemethods
on March 28, 2022, and dubbed HYBRiD, the new method combines elements of the two main prior approaches to tissue-clearing technology, and should be more practical and scalable than either for large-sample applications.
Tissue-clearing involves the use of solvents to remove molecules that make tissue opaque , rendering the tissue optically transparent—while keeping most proteins and structures in place. Scientists commonly use genetically encoded or antibody-linked fluorescent beacons to mark active genes or other molecules of interest in a lab animal, and tissue-clearing in principle allows these beacons to be imaged all at once across the entire animal.
Learn how a new Scripps Research technique makes it easier to analyze body-wide biological processes and diseases such as COVID-19 infection. Credit: Scripps Research "In many cases, you can just put the whole thing in a jar and keep it in a shaker on your benchtop until it's done," says co-first author Victoria Nudell, a research assistant in the Ye lab."This makes it practical and scalable enough for routine use."