Colored fish with barcodes for research purposes

What happen to skin cells when we get older, when scratches heal or how is their development when whole body parts are amputated? Scientist from the Duke University in the United States wanted to find out. Therefore they changed the DNA of zebrafish in a way that each skin cell had a different color. This individual, colored and natural Barcode results in some spectacular new perceptions in medical research.

Over 70 different color shades

It's called Skinbow, the procedure with which the skin cells are colored. This makes it possible to have a variety of 70 different cell colors, which won´t change until the cells die. Under the microscope these can be precisely distinguished. All of this procedure happens with a living fish without being influenced in any way.

The scientists from Durham captured the development of the barcodes from the zebrafish cells in a short video. The individual pictures have been taken by a special software. With this new procedure there are whole new impressions possible due to how the cells develop getting older or how the cells move from further down to the top of the skin to heal wounds.

Thanks to this new development scientist are able to create more efficient methods to fight against cancer and Infections. The video of the colored barcode fish of the Duke University you will find below: