Diaper compound may expand power of microscopes

Pour, mix, set, add water and voila: highly detailed images of the inside of cells. A study, partially funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), showed that a modified form of the superabsorbent chemical used in disposable diapers can expand brain structures to four and a half times their original size. The process called expansion microscopy will allow scientists to take superresolution pictures of healthy and diseased tissue throughout the body using lenses of common microscopes.
Source: NINDS Press Releases and News: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - Category: Neurology Source Type: news