Stanford University scientists have recently found a potentially groundbreaking way to make the skin of live mice transparent using a food dye found in the popular package snack Doritos, as per a study publish in the journal Science.
This discovery could revolutionize optical imaging in biological research, as per the researchers.
The research team achieve this by applying a solution of water and tartrazine, a bright yellow-orange dye found in products like food items and cosmetics and other products use in daily life, to the skin of live mice.
Tartrazine, which absorbs blue and ultraviolet light, increases the transparency of the skin in longer wavelengths.
This approach using highly absorbing molecules to improve optical clarity prevents light from scattering and absorption in tissues.
The study is led by Zihao Ou, an assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas.
He explain that combining tartrazine with skin, a naturally scattering medium, allow them to achieve temporary transparency.
Zihao Ou said :
“We combined the yellow dye, which absorbs most light, particularly in the blue and ultraviolet ranges, with skin, which generally blocks light,”.
“Individually, both block most light, but together they enabled us to make the mouse skin transparent.”
He like the process to a facial cream or mask, noting that the transparency develops in minutes as the dye molecules diffuse into the skin.
Zihao Ou and his team see significant potential for this technology in medical research and diagnostics.
Zihao Ou said :
“Current medical imaging techniques like ultrasound are expensive and not widely accessible,”.
“Our approach could provide a more affordable and accessible alternative.”
It could enable more detail observations of biological processes, potentially transforming how optical research is conduct in biology.
