Detection of bioluminescence deep within the brain

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a technique to observe bioluminescence in the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This breakthrough could enhance our understanding of brain cells and their interactions.


Scientists often label cells with luminescent proteins to track their development or observe changes in genetic expression. However, these techniques have so far been limited in exploring deep brain structures, as light scatters too much before becoming detectable.

Engineers at MIT, led by Alan Jasanoff, have innovated by making blood vessels in the brain capable of detecting this light. By expressing a bacterial protein, these vessels enlarge in the presence of light, a change observable by MRI.

This method, called bioluminescence imaging using hemodynamics or BLUsH, could allow the study of changes in genetic expression, the anatomical connections between cells, or how cells communicate with each other.


The study, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, opens new perspectives for brain research, particularly in rodents, with the hope of extending the application to other animal models.