Scientists Make Hole on Drosophila's Head to Peek Into Brain Operation by Laser

Laser is geared to high technology, is rooted in people's daily life. Laser has a widely application, such as medical, military, industry, presentation and beauty. Recently, it is applied to biology. Scientist wants to know the brain activity of drosophila, he use laser instruments to make hole on its head, as the below picture shows. The only instrument to do the operation is a 3000mW laser pulse. The laser beam drills a 20 microns hole on drosophila's eyes, with depth of 250 microns. As showed in the yellow part of picture. The hole is tiny as a piece of hair. This research is also test on worm, ant and mouse. With the help of laser drilling, microscopic observation of animals allowed scientists to learn more features of animal biology. Seed a tiny lens into puny body of living mouse to observe and study how cancer formed and assess potential drug efficacy. It usually spends a long times to experiment with small animals and needs consummate skill and automaticity.

At present, Supriyo Sinha, IT specialist of Stanford University, developed a new way. It can do microscopic examination to animals in a very fast speed, less than s second time. There are three steps. First, scientist should anesthesia drosophila. Use tweezers clip insect careful and paste it on glass fiber to fix body and head. Then, use high power pulse ultraviolet laser punch at its head, the hole is about 12-350 microns. At last, put the armed drosophila into saline solution, this to make sure all the dissection process in a healthy environment.

Scientist analyzes drosophila with help of microscope. This tested drosophila is improved by genetic modification. Vivo protein combined with calcium ion release the green light, thus convenient for study the characteristics of brain nerve activity of fruit flies. According to reports, it will cost long time to observe brain activeness by traditional method, almost 18 hours. While the latest laser drilling technology needs only hundredth of the previous time. In addition, it can do more experiments on living animals at the same time. At present, the latest experimental results are published on Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences.

Laser technology is quite a help technology in the field of biology. With the help of such high precision technology, people can learn more information of the insects and in case to help human beings in solve of human disease. We can image that one day, the cancer can cure and people can clearly know what the animals are thinking and even communicate with them. Thanks the science. 

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