A team from Germany has achieved an efficient way for scientists to examine the inside of animals’ bodies. The researchers were able to make rodent carcasses completely transparent, enabling a full view of organs and bones.


A team from Germany has achieved an efficient way for scientists to examine the inside of animals’ bodies.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the researchers were able to make rodent carcasses completely transparent, enabling a full view of organs and bones.

The process, documented in a recently published study, is called uDISCO which stands for ultimate 3D imaging of solvent-cleared organs.

After skinning the animal, researchers spent days treating the body with different chemicals to dehydrate it and remove its lipids for transparency.

The specimen ends up shrinking significantly, a benefit to scientists as they can study entire systems at one time instead of going section by section.

The team also injected the animal with a targeted fluorescent dye which, in their study, caused the central nervous system to glow green, but this technique could be applied to other areas that require enhanced visibility.

The hope is to apply this research to the human brain for mapping purposes and to learn more about neurological disorders like Parkinson’s.