A photo from open sources
Canadian researchers have developed an innovative device, allowing to connect parts of recently damaged nerves with laser. Experts are convinced that their unique “laser soldering iron” opened up the prospect of creating recovery technology in part or even a completely torn spinal cord and other important departments human nervous system.
How to discover a way to restore nerves
It is noteworthy that the inventors are very far from neurophysiologists. “We have nothing to do with medicine. We ordinary engineers who managed to create an apparatus for potential use in this area, “says Nir Kachinsky, one of the authors of the study. He and his colleagues working at the University of Alberta at Edmonton the development of this technology over the past two years.
A photo from open sources
Canadians decided to use the most modern and powerful laser, whose flash lasts one quadrillionth of a second. To researchers also had to create a special liquid to prevent adhesion of neurons to each other. During numerous Experiments scientists took microscopic tweezers, brought together nerve cells and acted on them with a laser beam. Similar the operation, to the surprise of the engineers, did not destroy the shell of the neurons – instead, the laser “soldered” the cells to each other, and connected neurons formed a common cell membrane.
The whole process of “nervous soldering”, as Canadians emphasize, takes a total of fifteen milliseconds. The human body, when it is possibly carrying out this process for several dozen hours. Scientists have so far tested their innovative method on only three types of cells, however in the near future they intend to significantly expand the scope of experiments.
“At the moment, we cannot take our invention and repair with it someone’s damaged spinal cord. However without false modesty we can say that we have brought much closer humanity to solve this problem, “Nir told reporters Kachinsky.
Lasers
