TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese researchers have succeeded in producing see-through frogs, letting them observe organs, blood vessels and eggs under the skin without performing dissections.
"You can see through the skin how organs grow, how cancer starts and develops," said the lead researcher Masayuki Sumida, professor at the Institute for Amphibian Biology of state-run Hiroshima University.
"You can watch organs of the same frog over its entire life as you don't have to dissect it. The researcher can also observe how toxins affect bones, livers and other organs at lower costs," he told AFP.
The Biologist in me thinks this is some seriously cool bidness. Having performed small animal surgery in previous employ, I'm pretty attuned to both the need for animal models and the tightrope act that is vivisection in today's society.
However, whatever will students protest about in high school bio now???
(Of course, we dissected cats, which as far as I can tell haven't had sunroofs installed yet...)
The nit-picker in me has to call this out, though:
The researchers produced the creature from rare mutants of the Japanese brown frog, or Rena japonica, whose backs are usually ochre or brown.
It's Rana, not Rena. Rana is the genus. Having worked with both Rana catesbiana and Rana pipens (as well as bufo bufo and bufo marinus), I know the difference...
3 comments:
Jay,
This comment is off topic, but I was afraid you may not find under your original post (the one talking about fighting among school boys). There was something you've said, that made me think:
"When something works, when everyone gets along, we don't question anything."
It got me thinking how the government is trying to make everything warm and fuzzy, protect us from danger, grief, and everything bad.... Is it because if everything works, we won't question anything? It also made me think how our population complains, maybe even writes letter etc, but seldom (read: never) do we get off our asses, grab the pitchforks and kick ass anymore.... We are too comfortable.... Losing more of your income in taxes just isn't worth fighting when you can sit in front of your 60 in plasma screen in air conditioned comfort, eat a steak and watch a movie....
Something to think about....
That's a damn good point, Chris.
It goes back to the "Bread and circuses" offered by the Romans. As long as the people had plenty to eat and vicarious entertainment to distract them, the Empire could do pretty much whatever the hell it wanted.
Which, in an odd way, is why war with China is extremely unlikely - the Chinese need our $$$. And we need their cheap labor and disposable goods...
(Now, isn't someone going to comment on my arcane knowledge of frog - and toad - genus and species? Sheesh!) :)
Your frog and toad genius amazes me greatly!
Post a Comment