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New clearing technique allows 3D imaging of whole organs and tumours

24 April 2019

Duct Tape

Breast cancers often develop from changes inside a single cell, but examining the early stages of a tumour forming – tumorigenesis – is challenged by messy chemicals that block the laser light used by high-powered microscopes. Here a new 'clearing' technique washes these away leaving an intact mouse breast duct behind. Assembling several images together into a 3D model, we can now fly through the duct, inspecting the insides like an engineer or an architect might explore a tunnel looking for tiny flaws, although 100,000 times smaller. Coloured fluorescence highlights cells in different layers of the breast tissue – in early cancers, some of these cells may change into mesenchymal cells, helping a cancer to evolve and spread. Combining microscopy with other techniques to assess genetic changes may help to spot breast cells more prone to becoming cancerous, leading to earlier and more effective treatment.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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