Scientists have learned to follow all the cells of the embryo

The group of scientists of the European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL) monitored the paths of displacement and division of cells of the embryo fish striped danio (Danio rerio). As reported in a press release on the site EMBL, to achieve this goal, researchers have developed new technology of microscopy. The results of observational data were used to create computer models of development of the embryo in the first 24 hours after conception. The work of scientists published in the journal Science. To see how the development of the embryo "live" here.

In the process of embryo development, one cell turns into a whole organism. Fertilized egg begins to share and some of the newly formed cells migrate to different parts form a living being. Developments in the first hours after fertilization, are key for all subsequent development. The best way to explore the process of embryogenesis - to trace the fate of all cells in this period.
So far, biologists have been able to make it relatively easy for organized embryos invertebrates (such as scientists' pokletochno "know how the worm Caenorabditis elegans) and astsidiya Ciona intestinalis. The body of vertebrates includes a complicated, and consequently markedly more difficult to trace the development of the embryo.

To learn more about how cells move from the "younger" striped danio, researchers from EMBL developed a new technology of digital scanning microscope. The microscope images of the body receives through many rays of light that fall on the object from all sides. "Read" Information is being held at a speed of 1.5 million individual images per minute. From the resulting set of two-dimensional images of the computer constructs a three-dimensional model. For images with the help of new technology requires significantly smaller amount of light (from five to six thousand times), compared with the same techniques (an example is the confocal fluorescent microscopy). Lower the intensity of exposure allows embryo longer remain alive in the experiment. Consequently, reducing the number of animals used in experiments.

The authors work to trace the development of the embryo striped danio, starting with stage one cell to the stage when the embryo consists of 20 thousand cells. The resulting "movie" they have provided the scientific community as a source of data: Danio rerio is one of the favorite objects of molecular biology research.