Researchers create first whole-body single-cell atlas of an adult vertebrate
Researchers have developed the first whole-body single-cell atlas of an adult vertebrate using the transparent Danionella cerebrum fish. This map provides a detailed reference for gene activity across all cell types in the organism.
Why it matters
This breakthrough provides a foundational tool for studying how aging, injury, and disease affect an entire organism at the cellular level.
by Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add to Preferred Sources Printed letters are visible through the nearly transparent body of Danionella cerebrum, a tiny fish opening new possibilities for studying the vertebrate brain. Credit: Kutay Deniz Atabay Viewed from above, Danionella cerebrum offers a rare sight in a vertebrate: its brain, visible through the top of its head. Since the species was adopted for neuroscience research in 2018 and formally described in 2021, the tiny, transparent fish has drawn rapidly growing interest for its unique biology.
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