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See-Through Fish Help Cancer Research

Posted by samzenpus on from the slim-fish-body dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "What is transparent, swims, and helps cure cancer? Caspar the friendly fish — a zebrafish bred with a see-through body to make studying disease processes easier for rapidly changing processes such as cancer, Zebrafish are genetically similar to humans in many ways and serve as good models for human biology and disease. In one experiment, researchers inserted a fluorescent melanoma tumor into the abdominal cavity of the transparent fish and by observing the fish under a microscope, they found that the cancer cells started spreading within five days and could actually see individual cells spreading. "The process by which a tumor goes from being localized to widespread and ultimately fatal is the most vexing problem that oncologists face," says Richard White, a clinical fellow in the Stem Cell Program at Children's Hospital Boston. "We don't know why cancer cells decide to move away from their primary site to other parts in the body." Researchers created the transparent fish, (photo) by mating two existing zebrafish breeds, one that lacked a reflective skin pigment and the other without black pigment. The offspring had only yellow skin pigment, essentially appearing clear."

7 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. That's not a transparent fish... by Verteiron · · Score: 5, Interesting

    THIS is a transparent fish. I have five of these, and they never cease to amaze me.

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    End of lesson. You may press the button.
    1. Re:That's not a transparent fish... by edwardpickman · · Score: 5, Funny
      THIS is a transparent fish. I have five of these, and they never cease to amaze me.

      They're pretty but having to wipe them down with Windex once a week is a pain. Oh, also they don't seem to live more than a week.

  2. They are? by ChromeAeonium · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Zebrafish are genetically similar to humans in many ways You mean, in the same way that every other vertebrate is, or is there something special about these particular fish?
    1. Re:They are? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Zebrafish, the nematode C. Elegans, and fruitflies have each been model organisms for years for geneticists. It's just easier to hack the underlying biology when all the scientists are focusing on the same exact species.

  3. Re:Zebrafish International Resource Center by kongit · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seeing that he works with fish and speaks many languages I must assume that babelfish are involved in some manner. Additionally the name Zoltán seems suspicious. I suggest you contact the nearest Extra-Terrestrial Human Interrelations office in your district.

  4. Not just cancer by cvd6262 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Two great things about zebrafish:

    1. You can see all sorts of diseases in them, not just cancer.

    2. They're cheap. A small team at a small lab, like at a State College (see Project #4), can do good quality research with them. Even better, several small teams can be researching concurrently.

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    I'd rather have someone respond than be modded up.

  5. you call that a transparent fish? THIS ... by rubycodez · · Score: 4, Funny

    THIS is a transparent fish: