Selective Elimination of Single Sense Cells with Methylene Blue

Abstract

FOR many problems of epigenetics and physiology it is desirable to destroy selectively individual cells within a tissue complex in order to test their functions. Although, in favourable cases, such cell structures as the nucleus have been eliminated, whole-cell destruction often implies damage to the surrounding tissue. Another difficulty of such experiments is the fact that recognition of single living cells within the tissue may be impossible. The use of toxic substances of sufficient specificity to affect the cell type to be eliminated, but without effect on other cells or on the organism as a whole, would solve this problem. A possible avenue of approach seems to be through techniques involving vital or supravital dyestuffs. The actual method must, of course, depend upon the type of cell to be eliminated. The experiments to be described illustrate this method of selective cell elimination by means of a chemical. The cells to be eliminated were single sense cells.