OMEN
10-02-2007, 09:01 AM
Japanese scientists are claiming a breakthrough after breeding the world's first see-through frogs.
The transparent frogs are useful for research because the internal organs and blood vessels can be observed without dissecting the animal.
Frogs are often used for scientific projects, but such work has been criticised by animal protection groups in the past.
Transparent fishes are not new, but amphibian specialists say the genetic manipulation has resulted in the world's first transparent four-legged animal.
Professor Masayuki Sumida, who led the team at Hiroshima University, said the frogs' skin had very little pigment as tadpoles.
And the researchers were able to see how the organs grew in the body as they transformed into frogs.
Prof Sumida also said there was still a yellow pigment in the frogs' skin and he was working to breed it out.
He said scientists previously knew that certain recessive genes resulted in pale-skinned frogs.
And second generations of pairs of frogs with recessive genes produced the transparent offspring.
He added that mammal's skin was different from frogs' skin, so the new breeding methods would not work with mammals.
Annanova
The transparent frogs are useful for research because the internal organs and blood vessels can be observed without dissecting the animal.
Frogs are often used for scientific projects, but such work has been criticised by animal protection groups in the past.
Transparent fishes are not new, but amphibian specialists say the genetic manipulation has resulted in the world's first transparent four-legged animal.
Professor Masayuki Sumida, who led the team at Hiroshima University, said the frogs' skin had very little pigment as tadpoles.
And the researchers were able to see how the organs grew in the body as they transformed into frogs.
Prof Sumida also said there was still a yellow pigment in the frogs' skin and he was working to breed it out.
He said scientists previously knew that certain recessive genes resulted in pale-skinned frogs.
And second generations of pairs of frogs with recessive genes produced the transparent offspring.
He added that mammal's skin was different from frogs' skin, so the new breeding methods would not work with mammals.
Annanova