See-through brains

Scientists have come up with a way to make whole brains transparent, so they can be labelled with molecular markers and imaged using a light microscope. The technique, called CLARITY, enabled its creators to produce the detailed 3D visualisations you see in this video. It works in mouse brains and human brains; here the team use it to look into the brain of a 7-year-old boy who had autism.

[pbonez]

The lipids are removed with using a solution of a hydrogel monomer and formaldehyde solution as the first step.  Heat is then added to the mix so that the hydrogel monomers are able to polymerize therefore keeping the integrity of the structure to the brain.  Then,  SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) is added to break the lipids apart and remove them from the brain.  ETC (Electrophoretic Tissue Clearing) is then used t separate the lipids from the rest of the tissue based on charge/mass. 

[snwbarder]

This is by far one of the coolest things science has accomplished!

[alabelleetoile]

Thank you Karl Deisseroth for this huge leap in neuroscience!! You are simply a genius and everyone at the University of Toronto neuroscience program is going nuts about the new paper/video. CLARITY is breathtaking

[davidschneider]

Amazing research. We are living in an exciting time.

[CHEESYhairyGASH]

We have the capacity to generate prescient ideas, we have the hypothesis, we have the theorems, but we don't have the means to test, observe or quantify many of until now.

Techniques like this allow us to blow apart ambiguity, expose fact and tap in to rich, glorious knowledge.

[Neverdweller]

this definitely shows a much more detailed look into the mystery of our own bodies.

Definitely needed to see this in the middle of grueling exam week- reminds me that it's all gonna be worth it at the end :)

[bicciera]

excellent. Some clearing agents have been going around these past years, but the clearing speed and resolution are superior. congratulations.

[grumblefig]

It is a see-through brain, watch again (at 1:33) for the mouse's brain that had been treated. All the fat had been removed and all that was left was grey matter suspended in hydrogel. You could actually look through to read the printed text on the sheet underneath the brain. The colourful graphics just illustrate the markers used to see the three dimensional structures of the brain.

[RSmith-sysz]

This is stellar. I am 34, what we had 20 years ago to now is absolutely staggering.

This is so amazing to be able to see the brain. How flipantly they just kind of point out "Oh this may be one of the major symptoms of Autism" is amazing.

Imagine; for a second, where this will be when combined with other mapping and man/machine interfaces in say 20 years.

I am just blown away at the casualness of these discoveries now.

Wow. Just wow

[Muuip]

This is a great tool for research.

Best visualization sofar, along with flash and freeze electron microscopy.

[ambidexter]

This is the sexiest thing I've ever seen on youtube.

[TheShockinglygood]

I don't understand why did three people dislike this?? please explain!! As for me I give it a "SUPERLIKE"

[selmarebello]

It's spectacular neuroscience. I am very fascinated!

[flxDaCat]

wow, extremely impressive! one easily recognizes the frame and scale bar of the imaris software, rendering so fast and smoothly.

[TrevWire]

My youngest son (4) has autism. It is my hope that science such as this will help us to one day better understand why autism develops, and perhaps how it can be avoided, or even shed light on how to help these individuals learn in their own unique ways to live independent lives. <3

[onlyamylouise]

Absolutely amazing. Although It's a shame we can't get this sort of visualisation on brain tissue that is alive. Well maybe one day...

[RaySVader]

I can see clearly now....the brain has gone ;0)

[andrewavalon]

Amazing work...The brain visualisation in this video were created using 'Imaris' software from Bitplane.

[Lingerminator]

That was absolutely awesome and beautiful to watch. Well Done Ladies and Gentlemen. Well done.