Eyes on the Tadpole Tail

The team of scientists from Tufts University in the United States is able to grow an eye on the tadpole tail. Innovation is believed to be used to cope with blindness and develop natural and artificial implants.

The team of scientists was conducting experiments with 134 clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) tadpoles. The African frog is commonly used laboratory animals. They transplanted the eyes to the feet and tail of a tadpole. Then the eyes of native tadpoles dissected and removed.

Researchers grafted the tails of blind tadpoles of the African frog with eye tissue, which gave the tadpoles sight. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/)

"It took great effort to understand the regenerative biology, and is also required to change the body's trial," said Michael Levin, developmental biologists at Tufts University, on Friday, March 1, 2013.

Then vision capabilities of the experimental result tadpoles were tested. Testing was also conducted on normal tadpoles as a comparison. Tadpoles were placed in a circular container. Half of the container was illuminated with red light, while the other half with blue lights. Color replaceable bulbs regularly with a special device.

When tadpoles entering the illuminated red light, they will be given a small voltage electric shock. To avoid electric shock, the tadpoles have to move to the blue lighted area. Movement is monitored by a camera motion detection.

A close-up image of the eye growing out of the tail of a tadpole. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/)

As a result, Levin and his team found that six tadpoles experimental results were able to identify the color. The six tadpoles chose to move to the blue area, which is safe from electric shock. Though tadpole-tadpole it only has eyes grafted on their tails.

"The brain is not connected with an eye that is on the tail, but could recognize visual signal of the neural network that provides valuable visual information," said Levin. Treatment of blindness and impaired sensory been hampered by the understanding of the nervous system and its ability to adapt to change.

Levin and his team experiment aims to study the relationship between body and brain, ie how the brain is able to interpret the data physically from organ placed in unusual locations to receive signals. These findings suggest that the brain has a remarkable plasticity and can adapt to changes in the body, "he said.

Levin believes that the mechanism is carried along with the evolution of animals. Therefore, each mutation would result in a change in the embryo's body, including on the anatomy. If the brain is not flexible to this change, the animal will die and beneficial mutations will be lost.

Levin and his team experiment not only produce tadpoles with an eye on the tail. A number of other unusual animals, such as four headed worm and six-legged frog, also exist. There are many other "weird" creatures that is part of Levin's scientific experiment in the organ regeneration and bio-electricity field. *** [LIVESCIENCE | MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | KORAN TEMPO 4160]
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.