The substance "consists of a protein fragment containing amino acids," according to the Daily Mail, and has been effective in preliminary experiments on mice, rendering nerves about ten times more visible to the naked eye than normal, with no known side effects.
One of the researchers, Professor Roger Tsien, said that the new liquid would be much more effective in outlining the nerves to avoid during surgery.
"The analogy I use is that when construction workers are excavating, they need a map showing where the existing underground electrical cables are actually buried, not just old plans of questionable accuracy," he said. "Likewise when surgeons are taking out tumours, they need a live map showing where the nerves are actually located, not just a static diagram of where they usually lie in the average patient."
Glow in the Dark Surgery
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