How to Break a Tadpole

That black spot where the arrow is? That's an eyeball on a tadpole. What's so special about it? There isn't supposed to be one there. Scientists at Tufts have manipulated voltages to a specific embryonic cell in the tadpole and caused the cell to specialize into an eyeball.

So far, there's no evidence that the process can be used to generate non-eyeballs, but it has shown that they can be created outside of the head. Furthermore, they work. It doesn't specify if they is an optic nerve connected to it, but the eye itself is whole and undamaged.

Unfortunately, a few of the other tadpoles used in the experiment as they grew developed deformed eyes or no eyes at all. Still, if this information can be used as a stepping block to regrowing test-tube eyes for blind people or something else crazy, it's well worth it.

Hit the link for more info.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207175740.htm