Scientists from the Stanford UniversityUnited States, got make the skin and tissues of mice transparent through topical use of a dye widely used in humans: tartrazinaThe authors of the experiment, which was made public on Thursday, believe that the breakthrough will serve to make subcutaneous parts, such as veins and blood vessels, more visible, and thus make certain medical treatments easier.
The research team applied tartrazine, a commonly used food coloring, as an ointment on the skin and the tissues of live micewhich allowed them observe your blood vessels and the functioning of the organs and the muscles of rodents
Tartrazine is one of the most widely used artificial colorants in the food industry, and belongs to the azo branch, which They give food and drinks a yellow hue or orange (similar to saffron or turmeric), depending on the amount added.
In Argentina, this substance is obtained, per kilo and at wholesale pricearound the 40 thousand pesosIce cream, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, candy and dressings are some of the foods in whose production tartrazine is used.
Zihao Ou, the lead author of the study that was made public on Thursday in the journal Scienceexplained how the scientists on his team came to achieve such a feat: “We combined the yellow dye called tartrazine, which is aa molecule that absorbs most of the lightespecially blue and ultraviolet light, with the skin, which is a scattering medium. Separately, these two things block most of the light that passes through them, but if you put them together, you achieve the transparency of mouse skin.”
Mice in a biological testing laboratory. Photo EFE.
The magic, if it can be considered as such, occurs because by dissolving the light-absorbing molecules in water, changes the refractive index of the solution so that it matches that of the tissue components, such as lipids. Or, in a more easy way to understand: tartrazine molecules reduce the degree of light scattering in the skin tissue, such as the dissipation of a fog bank.
The concept of magic related to the experiment and its achievements can be reinforced if one takes into account that it was also possible to demonstrate that the effect is reversible. Researchers at Stanford University rubbed the water and dye solution on the skin of the skull and abdomen of the rodents, and found that the skin became transparent. But the remains of dye can be washed and attenuate its effect, in addition to the substance es metabolizable and is eliminated through urine.
“Transparency takes a few minutes to appear“It’s similar to how a cream or face mask works: the time needed depends on how quickly the molecules diffuse into the skin,” Ou added.
Mouse being tested during an experiment. Photo AFP
Your team not tested yet that use of tartrazine in humanswhose fur It is a ten times thicker than that of a mouse, so it is not yet clear what dose of dye or method of administration would be necessary and tolerable in humans.
That is the task that Stanford researchers are working on. In addition, the team is experimenting with other molecules and substances which could be as effective, or more so, than tartrazine.
The researchers have requested the patent of technologysince it is estimated that it could provide advantages in preclinical experimentation and surgery, by facilitating the location of vessels and muscles, invasive procedures such as cutting the skin or manipulating organs and muscles could be avoided.
