China creates first 3D primate brain map
Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing have created the world's first 3D image of a monkey's brain. This “map” could indicate new avenues for the treatment of many serious diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, reports Nature Biotechnology.
The authors used fluorescence imaging to demonstrate the organization and connection of nerve cells in the brain. It is known that the human brain consists of nearly one hundred billion nerve cells. The macaque brain is 17 times smaller, but scientists found it suitable for research.
Until recently, the largest brain that could be rendered in 3D was a mouse. But new technology has made it possible to process a much larger organ. The work took only four days.
“The new imaging technique has made it possible to map each neuron and fiber in the monkey's brain in greater detail than was previously possible,” the text of the scientific paper says.
Scientists were able to examine individual microns, despite the fact that an ordinary brain cell reaches 100 microns in diameter. The data they receive takes up more than a petabyte of data – 1,000 terabytes, or about 30 million high-definition movies.
To process this amount of information, scientists turned to artificial intelligence. For the experiments, they used the brains of three 10-lazy macaques and concluded that other organs could be visualized in the same way. Studying a 3D map will allow you to understand how certain parts of the brain change in various diseases.
“We hope this technology will be further enhanced for wider and wider applications to make important contributions to the mapping and understanding of the primate brain and, ultimately, the human brain,” said study author Duan Shuming.
Earlier it was reported that the first genetically edited possum appeared in Japan. Scientists have changed the gene associated with body color.
