The Stanford team believes that this technique could revolutionise our understanding of the human body. (Representative Image: Canva)

Scientists at Stanford University have developed a new technique that makes the skin on mice skulls and abdomens transparent using a common yellow food dye. Using a common yellow food dye, researchers at Stanford University have created a technique that could revolutionise our understanding of the human body.

On Thursday, the Stanford team revealed that a simple mix of water and tartrazine—a yellow food colouring—can make skin, muscle, and connective tissues transparent in living mice. Their findings, published in Science on Friday, highlight the potential of this technique for medical research.

The process, which blends dye chemistry with optical technology, has enabled scientists to view blood vessels on the brain's surface through the transparent skull skin. They have also observed internal organs and muscle movements in the digestive tract through the abdomen’s transparent skin.

Zihao Ou, now a physics professor at the University of Texas, Dallas, and the study's lead author, likened the discovery to a magic trick for those unfamiliar with the underlying physics. The research team hypothesised that certain molecules could induce optical transparency in biological tissues. Their calculations suggested that tartrazine, when dissolved in water, could prevent light scattering, leading to transparency.

The researchers first tested this technique on thin slices of chicken breast. They then applied the tartrazine solution to the scalps and abdomens of live mice, observing blood vessels, intestine contractions, heartbeats, and breathing.

Potential Applications and Future Research

The study began as part of a broader investigation into how microwave radiation interacts with biological tissues. During this research, the team uncovered two key optical concepts related to how atoms and electrons within molecules respond to light. These findings laid the groundwork for understanding how dye molecules might interact with biological tissues to achieve temporary transparency.