|
An expanded Web version of segments seen on CNN Green-blooded fish aid researchers
December 18, 1997
Eggs are injected with the transgenic marker
Watch Alesia Stanford's report as seen on CNN
2 min. VXtreme video
Web posted at: 11:53 a.m. EST (1653 GMT)From Reporter Alesia Stanford
AUGUSTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Embryos just days away from growing into zebrafish are glowing green in an experiment that may someday unlock dozens of medical mysteries.
Biology researchers at Medical College of Georgia hope the tiny fertilized fish eggs will help them discover how and where blood originates in humans.
The procedure begins with a substance from jellyfish that glows under florescent light. Add to that DNA material from jellyfish that controls blood production. The mixture is then injected into zebrafish embryos, marking them in a way that gives them the appearance of having green blood.
The transgenic marking process creates fish with "green fluorescent blood progenitor cells," explains Shuo Lin, a developmental biologist and assistant professor at the school. (
194K/17 sec. AIFF or WAV sound )
Zebrafish seem to be the perfect catch for researchers studying genetics. The fish, only about 2 inches long when full-grown, produce an endless supply of eggs that develop outside the mother's body. As a result, the fish can be studied from conception to adulthood.
"This fish is unique," Lin says, "because the embryo is transparent and you can actually see through the entire body."
Examination under the microscope 731K/19 sec./160x120
QuickTime movie
Zebrafish
The zebrafish aren't transparent when they reach adulthood, but the fluorescent blood still shows up under the microscope, allowing them to be examined without harm.
Researchers have already learned from this "green blood" marking technique that once blood cell production begins in the zebrafish it migrates to the heart and then eventually to the kidneys.
In human growth, scientists know that blood cells come from bone marrow, but they think the blood cells form as primitive cells somewhere else. This zebrafish research is a model for studying that question.
The marking may also prove useful one day in pinpointing the source of genetic defects in humans, Lin says.
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards
You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.