Fluorescent Fish

Pretty much as the title says: a group of biologists at Berkeley have modified the genes of zebrafish so they deposit fluorescent carbohydrates in their cell membranes.

Why, you ask? It's not just to look cool (although it does). The fluorescent cells coupled with the normal transparency of zebrafish embryos means that the researchers can literally see which cells are deposited when during development.

This is useful because over the past couple of decades biologists have come to appreciate how incredibly complex and important the process of development and cell differentiation is in multicellular animals. Way back in the 1980s we were confidently assured that once the "genetic code" was "cracked" all the secrets of life would be easily available.

Nope, sorry. Turns out the genome is only half the story.  It's the blueprint for the organism -- but a set of blueprints and a pile of lumber don't make a house, either. Development explains how the blueprint turns into an actual living system, and it's at least as complicated as the blueprint itself.

While the biologists work on that, we can enjoy the pretty glowing fish. (When is some clever person going to start selling these as pets?)

Comments

[Joe D]

They've been selling them as pets for a couple years now:

http://www.glofish.com/default.asp