A group of Scientists from Hong Kong University and Imperial College London in a joint research has discovered new techniques for three-dimensional visualisation of microscopic structures present in human brain.
The scientists developed a new tissue clearing technique called as OPTIClear, which typically adjusts the optical properties of tissue without getting the neurons damaged.
With the combination of fluorescent staining and other tissue processing methods, the scientists developed a simple flexible tool for studying the microscopic structures in the human brain.
In the research study the 3D relationship among various human brain cells like nerve cells, glial cells, and blood vessels were keenly determined along with 3D morphological analysis on human brainstem dopaminergic neurons in the millimetre scale.
With OPTIClear technique, the health professionals can easily understand the circuitry mechanisms of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
The novel technique will not only help in better understanding of the connections and circuitries of human brain but it is also anticipated to be helpful in examining other diseases and unveiling the mysteries of the human body.
It will help to uncover the pathologies that underlie the common degenerative diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
OPTIClear can also be applied in both archived (>30 years) and clinical specimens.
It could potentially speed up the elucidation of circuitry mechanisms in a multitude of brain diseases.
This method is also applicable to other human organs and clinical specimens.
