For a luminous trail: Cancer Detection

Early diagnosis of disease, particularly in oncology - a matter of life and death. And this will help a miniature detectors that can detect specific molecules to cancer cells.
It is about micro-RNA , small molecules, which play a significant role in the regulation of gene activity (Incidentally, we already wrote about their participation in the normal functioning of circadian rhythms - " Molecule of time "). This - short nucleic acids, the length of which seldom exceeds 20 nucleotides. MiRNAs were first discovered only in 1990, and today the number of such molecules known only in humans over a thousand.
In addition, it was found that in tumor cells of micro-RNA changes, resulting in disrupted all regulatory "orchestra." The result is known: wild, uncontrolled growth and multiplication of cancer cells. And at each of the numerous forms of cancer has its own unique characteristics of changes in micro-RNAs. And their methods of detection and there are many. At present, for this there is no single accepted technology, and generally the process is lengthy and complex, including isolation of molecular micro-RNA from blood samples or tissue to clean up - and then the definition. Despite the fact that the patient every day and hour can be critical.
The new approach proposed by American scientists, allows the whole analysis very quickly. This requires the mass of hydrogel microparticles measuring about 200 microns, each of which is studded with millions of identical DNA fragments. By the suspension of these particles is sufficient to add 25 ul of blood samples, and if it contains molecules of micro-RNA complementary in some DNA fragments, they will get in touch with them. Should be added to a fluorescent marker, and after washing the estimated fluorescence intensity of various microparticles. That one, which will glow brighter, more linked micro-RNAs, and it will correspond to those present in the blood sample form of micro-RNA.
It remains to add that the location of fluorescent labels is unique for each microparticle, so to determine which DNA fragment contains the "culprit" is easy. The whole process takes less than three hours and, according to the authors, is a hundred times more sensitive methods that are used today: it detects the presence of micro-RNA in a sample, even if it is about 10 thousand of these small molecules. The authors are confident enough in the future success of the new method and has already organized a company Firefly Bioworks to bring the technique to perfection and bring to market.