Transplanting genes helps mice have eyesight like humans

By adding genes to the genetic code, the mice saw the world in full color like humans, instead of the familiar gray sight in their eyes.

The three basic colors of the world (blue, green and red) depend on three types of photoreceptors in the eye, absorbing light at different wavelengths. For example, short-wave photoreceptors are most sensitive to blue light, medium-sensitive photosensitive to green, and long-wave photosensors absorb red light.

When these types of light reach the eyes, the brain compares its reaction to the colors received.

Usually, animals that are not primates see only two colors, because the brain has only photoreceptors with shortwave and midwave. This makes most animals become almost colorblind, compared to primates.

Gerald Jacobs of the University of California and colleagues tested the gene implant that produced a third type of photosensitive receptor for laboratory mice.

As a result, with the new gene, a few mice have shown " full color " with three basic colors of nature. Normally, the world in their eyes is very gloomy with gray, blue and yellow.

(Photo: National Geographic)

T. An