SYDNEY, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists have unveiled a transformative tool that allows researchers to track the fate of individual cells in a developing embryo with unprecedented precision.

The study introduces LoxCode, a system that assigns each cell in a genetically engineered mouse a unique DNA barcode, enabling scientists to trace its lineage as it divides, migrates, and specializes, according to a release from the Melbourne-based Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) on Tuesday.

LoxCode generates 30 billion unique DNA barcodes, far exceeding existing technologies, enabling full cellular ancestry mapping via standard sequencing. Already adopted globally, it powers studies in brain development, immunity, and organ regeneration, the release said.

The research reveals the body's organ blueprint forms earlier than thought. Days after conception, some embryo cells are already committed to specific tissues such as brain and blood, while others retain full flexibility. This insight into cellular fate decisions could transform understanding of development and developmental disorders.

Tom Weber, the inventor of LoxCode from WEHI and the University of Melbourne, compared it to dealing each cell a unique, inheritable DNA "hand."

By revealing how cells make their earliest decisions, LoxCode paves the way for advances in disease treatment and regenerative medicine, marking a major step forward in mapping every cell's origin and fate, said the study published in the journal Cell.

"LoxCode is essentially a DNA ancestry test for every cell, in every tissue of the mouse, that allows researchers to investigate and unravel some of life's greatest mysteries," Weber said. ■