Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have developed a groundbreaking microscopy method that enables detailed three-dimensional (3D) RNA analysis at cellular resolution in whole intact mouse brains. The new method, called TRISCO, has the potential to transform our understanding of brain function, both in normal conditions and in disease, according to the new study published in Science.
Despite great advances in RNA analysis, linking RNA data to its spatial context has long been a challenge, especially in intact 3D tissue volumes. The TRISCO method now makes it possible to perform three-dimensional RNA imaging of whole mouse brains without the need to slice the brain into thin sections, which was previously necessary.
This method is a powerful tool that can drive brain research forward. With TRISCO, we can study the complex anatomical structure of the brain in a way that was previously not possible.”
Per UhlĂ©n, professor at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, and study’s last author
In the study, up to three different RNA molecules were analysed simultaneously. The next step for the researchers is to expand the number of RNA molecules that can be studied to around a hundred, using a technique called multiplex RNA analysis. This could provide even more detailed information about brain function and disease states.
The TRISCO approach opens up new possibilities to understand the complexity of the brain in depth, which in turn can lead to the development of new treatments for various brain diseases.