Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Could you tell me the reasons why the diaphonization looks transparent, that is, it allows light to pass through, from an optical perspective? I found how to create a transparent specimen, however, I do not understand the principles.

Hi!

Good question. The process of diaphonization is literally digesting tissues with chemicals (specifically an enzyme) that digest flesh. The reason that tissues are usually not transparent is because all of the components within cells (water, lipids, proteins) have different refractive indices. Thus, in each component of a cell, light moves at different speeds and angles. This results in light bouncing around and interacting with itself, making the material not transparent. Diaphonization removes the inconsistency in refractive indices and replaces / modifies the innards of a cell with the same substance such that the cell has the same refractive index throughout, making it transparent!

-Rebekah