The imaging system sheds light on the origin of cancer

MIT biologists have developed a descriptive system that allows cells to undergo a certain mutation.

This achievement can help scientists learn about how precancerous mutations are formed and mark the first time researchers can determine the number and location of sea cells - cells with a certain mutation - in intact tissues. In this case, the scientists performed pancreatic cells in mice.

Bevin Engelward, professor of bioengineering and a member of the Center for Environmental Health Sciences at MIT, author of an article on the topic in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science The National Science Council, said: "Understand where the mutations appear to be the basic factor to capture the origin of cancer."

Peter So, a professor of biochemical engineering, Engelward and members of their lab have developed a technology that allows the detection of clusters of cells derived from the same ancestor cell.

Surprisingly, more than 90% of cells contain mutations in these cell clusters . This is the evidence for the majority of sea snakes that are inherited from another cell, not spontaneously in individual cells.

MIT technicians use new descriptive techniques to determine the location of pancreatic cells in mice with a certain mutation.Green dots denote pancreatic cell nucleus, and cells inside yellow clusters exhibit sudden sea break (Photo: Hyuk-Sang Kwon)

Because the type of mutation studied (in recombinant cases) appears at a rate comparable to that of other mutations, Engelward observes: 'It seems that we are looking at the general process of formation and calculation. persistent as well as asexual replication of mutations'.

"We think this increases the likelihood of a mutation coming from gene division into a major factor that causes the mutation of the gene to increase," she said.

The higher the number of transgenic mutations, the more likely it is to develop cancer . Engelward and So started collaborating a few years ago after MIT's Biotechnology Division was founded. A type of microscopic technique has also been developed, known as dual light quantum images, from which researchers wonder whether it can be used to locate and record images of cell types. rare or not.

By genetics, the team builds a state in mice that DNA can fluoresce if a mutation occurs in a certain sequence. This allowed them to use high resolution microscopy and high input materials due to So's development to detect single cells containing mutations. Engelward said: 'The problem of promoting the development of imaging technology can now be applied in many ways.'

The main author of the paper Dominika Wiktor-Brown, a doctoral student in bioengineering. Other authors include Hyuk-Sang Kwon, researcher at the Department of Engineering, and Yoon Sung Nam, a graduate student in biological engineering.

This research is an effort of many experts in different fields. Engelward said: 'The Department of Biological Engineering and the Center for Environmental Health Sciences are important factors connecting these professionals together . ' The study was funded by the National Health Practitioner, Department of Energy and MIT Singapore headquarters.