Construction of three-dimensional atlases encompassing all cells across whole organs and the whole body
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 26-May-2026 00:15 ET (26-May-2026 04:15 GMT/UTC)
Researchers led by Hiroki R. Ueda at the University of Tokyo developed comprehensive 3D cellular atlases spanning all organs and the entire body, termed the CUBIC Organ/Body Atlas. By optimizing the CUBIC tissue-clearing method and establishing high-resolution whole-body imaging, the group mapped the spatial positions of individual cells and enabled quantitative comparisons across samples. This platform enables whole-body–scale quantitative analysis, integration with molecular data, and opens new opportunities for 3D biological and pathological analysis.
Kyoto, Japan -- Toward the right side of the periodic table below oxygen you'll find the chalcogens, or "ore-forming" elements. The chalcogens that occur naturally, including sulfur, selenium and tellurium, are all somehow involved in biological processes. Molecules containing sulfur, like the antioxidant glutathione, play a central role in redox regulation, the balance between oxidation and reduction that is essential for maintaining cellular health.
Recent studies have suggested that the heavier selenium and tellurium are active in biological redox systems as well, but the instability of molecules containing chains of different chalcogen atoms has made structural analysis difficult. Traditional methods have largely relied on mass spectrometry, which cannot be used to directly observe molecular bonds. This limitation motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to develop a method that would allow them to more clearly observe chains of chalcogens.
"We have long been interested in understanding how subtle atomic substitutions can alter biological function," says corresponding author Kazuma Murakami. "Chalcogen chemistry offers a unique window into redox biology that remains largely unexplored."
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