Collaborative Research: Transparency: Ultrastructural and Biochemical Specialization in Muscular and Ocular Tissues

透明性是许多生物组织的显著且普遍的特征。 除了在所有的眼睛中出现之外，在许多海洋动物中也发现了透明组织，在那里它作为伪装的最终形式。 然而，关于这种特性是如何实现的，人们知之甚少。该项目将利用数学模型、新的显微镜技术和生化分析来研究眼睛和肌肉透明性的基础。 透明肌肉将在两个不同种类的玻璃鲶鱼进行分析，并与不透明鱼的肌肉进行比较。 鱿鱼和章鱼眼睛的晶状体也将被检查。 该项目将为动物用于实现透明度的结构和生化改变提供基本的新见解。 这些见解对于了解许多海洋物种透明度的代价以及人类白内障和角膜混浊的发展和预防具有重要意义。 此外，了解光如何在组织中传播不仅对透明组织很重要，对非透明组织也很重要，从基于卫星的海洋大规模变化分析到用于诊断和治疗皮肤病的非侵入性光学方法，都具有重要意义。该项目还培养了很少有女性的生物物理学研究生。 除了通常的技术文章外，研究结果还将在至少一本科普杂志上发表。最后，该项目将加强杜克大学和北卡罗来纳州大学查佩尔山分校之间的联系，这两所邻近大学的互动不足。

Transparency is a remarkable and widespread characteristic of many biological tissues. In addition to occurring in all eyes, transparent tissue is found in many oceanic animals where it functions as the ultimate form of camouflage. Remarkably little is known, however, about how this trait is achieved. This project will investigate the basis of transparency in eyes and muscle using mathematical models, new microscopy techniques, and biochemical analyses. Transparent muscle will be analyzed in two different species of glass catfish and compared with the muscle of opaque fish. The lenses of the eyes of squid and octopus will also be examined. This project will provide fundamental new insights into the structural and biochemical alterations that are used by animals to achieve transparency. Such insights have important implications for understanding the costs of transparency in many oceanic species and in the development and prevention of cataracts and corneal opacities in humans. In addition, understanding how light travels through tissue is important not only for transparent tissues, but for non transparent tissues as well, with important implications ranging from satellite-based analyses of large-scale changes in the ocean to non-invasive optical methods for the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders.This project also trains female graduate student in biophysics, a subject with very few women. In addition to the usual technical articles, the results will be presented in at least one popular science magazine. Finally, the project will strengthen ties between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, neighboring universities that interact less than they should.