Luminescent Protein: Future or for Street Lighting

The scientists of Japan's Osaka University and the Japanese Institute of Physical Chemistry have succeeded in developing luminescent proteins through a series of experiments. This protein can be used for medical research. Especially in the detection of tumors and other diseases, this protein is often necessary to help "light" the human internal organs.

This new way of detecting disease differs from X-ray fluoroscopy in its absolute safety and can be used several times in shorter time intervals. In addition, this protein is completely non-toxic. Therefore, the application of this monitoring method can continuously monitor the inflammatory process in the human body and the development of the tumor. Depending on the type of protein, it can appear green, yellow, or light blue.

Because the previously developed fluorescent proteins have weak luminescence, they are completely absorbed by hemoglobin. Japanese scientists have "hybridized" biopolymers that are commonly used in both medicines that look like jellyfish and seaweed. Then they added blue-green plant pigments to the "hybrid" material. As a result, the luminescence of the protein was increased by 20 times.

Professor Osaka University and the person in charge of the research project said: "In the future, this technology can also be used for street lighting. If this fluorescent protein can be successfully implanted in trees, the city landscape around the world will change, and ordinary streetlights do not need to exist. ”