For the first time, we see an image of a cell moving in a living organism

If you feel small in this vast universe, or even small in this world, look at the video below to cheer up! Every cell in our body is working to keep this living being - that's you - in existence.

For decades, we know how cells move inside a living organism, but this video is the first time we've seen that life miracle with a high resolution, in three dimensions. so.

This is a video of an active immune cell inside a zebrafish - Danio rerio:

For the first time, we can admire these images.

The other green dots that immune cells swallow are dextran, a sugary polysaccharide commonly found in many things, from wine, cardiac drugs or dental plaque.

The video above is thanks to a new full microscopic technology. It is true that we have observed cells for many years, but every time we try to return to the image of them moving inside the living body, the image is blurry. In order to keep track of cells, we have to leave it once a glass and never see the cells in their "natural habitat" .

"It is these things that make people doubt that we will never see cells in a natural, happy state within the living body, only that they can evolve, develop , " said the chief. research, physicist Eric Betzig said.

Even when trying to observe every single cell, the microscope is still too slow, unable to keep up with the activities that a cell performs.

"This also worries us that it will not be possible to observe cells in a natural state and not under pressure , " said Betzig.

"It is often said to believe it to be believed, but in cell biology, I think the right question should be" When can we believe what we see? "

To overcome this obstacle, Betzig and his team combine two microscopic technologies, translating into adaptive optical technology and thin mesh microscope technology.

Adaptive optical technology - Adaptive optic is an astronomical technology that allows us to see through the Earth's atmosphere, to reach distant objects. In this case, when recording images of living organisms, scientists will have to fire a laser at whatever they are trying to record, using this way to determine the light that has been turned away. how to change when living through living tissue and cells.

After that, they reversed the changes, making the area being observed more visible. As a result, we have a clear image: a cell is active in its natural habitat.

Cells are active in its natural habitat.

The second technology, the lattice light sheet microscopy, allows researchers to capture the images in real time.

Using ultra-thin, light-scattering panels of light, scientists create a series of 2D images that can be inserted into a high-resolution 3D image. They can do it without destroying the cell or interrupting its "everyday life" .

And the end result is the image that scientists have wanted to see for years: a bright, vivid cell is moving under a microscope.

With this new technology, even structures inside the cell can be clearly visible under a microscope.

These are the organ organs inside the zebrafish's eyes.

This technology will lead us to discoveries, breakthroughs that have not existed before.

This is a picture of a cancer cell moving in a blood vessel, trying to stick somewhere.

This technology has two unique obstacles: the cost of equipment and the device itself is not user friendly at all. Betzig and his team had to put this device on a 3 meter long table.

However, the good side is still very much. First, they had evidence that this tool worked effectively, just a matter of time before the technology revolutionized all human knowledge with biology and with human cells. .

Second, the team of scientists has been designing a smaller device, a next version of the prototype. Even more amazing, they will publish this design to the public so that any lab can build one.

Every cell in my body is expressing appreciation for human scientific advances!