Japanese Scientists Develop Solar-Powered Tissues for Lab-Grown Meat and Organs
Tokyo, Japan - In a groundbreaking study published in the Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B, a team of Japanese researchers has announced the development of solar-powered tissues, potentially transforming the fields of lab-grown meat and organ production.
The innovative research, spearheaded by Professor Sachihiro Matsunaga, involves creating hybrid cells from hamster and plant sources. These cells incorporate chloroplasts, the organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants, into animal cells, thereby enabling the tissues to harness solar energy for growth.
The process began with the isolation of chloroplasts from plants, which were then cultured alongside hamster cells. After two days, the researchers employed a specific laser to detect the presence of chlorophyll, a key indicator of photosynthesis. Not only was chlorophyll detected within the hybrid cells, but further tests using amplitude modulation fluorometry confirmed that these chloroplasts were actively performing photosynthesis.
"This marks the first instance where we've successfully implanted photosynthetic electron transport into animal cells," Professor Matsunaga explained to New Atlas. "The implications are vast, potentially speeding up the growth of lab-grown tissues."
The solar-powered tissues showed a notable increase in growth rate compared to traditional hamster cells, suggesting that this method could significantly enhance the efficiency of producing lab-grown meat and organs. This breakthrough could address some of the major challenges in the field, including the speed of tissue growth and the sustainability of energy sources used in production.
The study's findings open up new avenues for research and could lead to more sustainable practices in biotechnology, reducing the reliance on conventional energy sources and potentially lowering the cost and environmental impact of producing lab-grown products.
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