Basic principles of hydrogel-based tissue transformation technologies and their applications

Emerging tissue transformation technologies provide an unprecedented opportunity to investigate system-level molecular and anatomical features in situ. Hydrogel-based methods engineer physicochemical tissue properties to render intact organs optically transparent and size and shape adjustable while preserving biomolecules at their physiological locations. When combined with advanced molecular tools, labeling, and imaging techniques, tissue transformation enables three-dimensional (3D) mapping of molecules, cells, and their interrelationships at increasing speeds and resolutions. In this review, we discuss the basic engineering principles of tissue transformation and labeling techniques as well as their broad applications, current challenges, and future potential.