The zebrafish as a model for human disease sciencedirect. More recently, there has also been an increasing appreciation of fish as human disease models. Zebra fish in medical research jul 02, 2012 modeling disease in the zebrafish provides a convenient and powerful platform in which genetic or chemical suppressors or enhancers of the disease phenotype can be identified and studied. As a nonmammalian species, zebrafish do have certain disadvantages for modeling human disease. In support of these endeavors, the zebrafish international resource center zirc was established at the university of oregon in 1998. Proanthocyanidins pacs, which are abundant polyphenols in early black eb cranberry vaccinium macrocarpon, are readily available and we have shown their anticancer activity in several cancer cell lines. Read more on the website of leiden university or naturalis. The use of zebrafish danio rerio as a model organism began in the 1960s. Zebrafish are therefore an excellent model to probe the genetics of social behaviour. It surveys approaches that are available to zebrafish researchers to generate models for human disease and examines the expanding field of chemical screening in zebrafish. This cuttingedge resource includes uptodate information on zebrafish physiology and the tools used to study it, not only as a model species for studies of other vertebrates but with application for studies of human disease and aquatic toxicology. Fish with velvet disease have the characteristic behavior of rubbing their sides and flipping around in the corners of the tank. Zebrafish danio rerio as a model organism intechopen.
Diseases of zebrafish in research facilities zirc public wiki. Modeling disease in the zebrafish provides a convenient and powerful platform in which genetic or chemical suppressors or enhancers of the disease phenotype can be identified and studied. Scientists use a variety of laboratory techniques to investigate the genetic cause of human diseases. Danio rerio, better known as zebrafish, is a small vertebrate tropical water fish that has become one of the favored animal model systems for studying developmental processes and human disorders figure 1. Zebrafish genome found strikingly similar to humans. The zebrafish genome has been fully sequenced, which is a musthave for model organisms nowadays. Diseases of zebrafish in research facilities zirc public. Numerous fish models of human diseases have been generated and studied, ranging from blood disorders and muscular dystrophies to neurodegenerative syndromes and cancer.
A novel zebrafish model enables genetic studies of. In contrast to other laboratory behavioural models, zebrafish are naturally social animals that show preference for the presence of conspecifics 3,4. Since the 1960s, the zebrafish danio rerio has become increasingly important to scientific research. Sciforum preprints scilit sciprofiles mdpi books encyclopedia mdpi blog. Currie abstract despite the preeminence of the mouse in modelling human disease, several aspects of murine biology limit its routine use in largescale genetic and therapeutic screening. Laboratory of development and disease models in zebrafish. Researchers led by the francis crick institute have developed a zebrafish model of a human disease hirschsprung disease that enables them to study the diseases causes and consequences in. Enlarged to include pages of new information and generously illustrated with color photographs and blackandwhite diagrams, this text should serve as a resource for practitioners who occasionally treat pet fish as well as for dedicated fish disease diagnosticians. Danio rerio, better known as zebrafish, is a small vertebrate tropical water fish that has become one of the favored animal model systems for studying developmental processes and human disorders figure figure1.
Antioxidants have been widely studied in various naturally occurring substances as a bioavailable cancer prevention treatment. Jul 19, 2016 zebrafish are becoming more and more popular as a research model for human disease. The tiny fish that has helped unlock the mysteries. To illustrate the use of zebrafish for disease modeling, we first focus on selected blood disorders, which constitute the first human pathologies modeled in fish, in part due to the high degree of conservation of. In 1993, leonard zon had 110 fish tanks and an idea. This work focused on the activity of these compounds when. Zebrafish, popular as aquarium fish, now have an important place in research labs as a model organism for studying human diseases. Importantly, this project is not feasible or costeffective in any other vertebrate model system. To read the minds of baby zebrafish, scientists later realized, all you had to do was look.
That is why the wellcome trust has paid so much money to. Diagnosis and treatment is a welcome update of the 1996 original. Animal models are crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of human disease and provide a system in which to develop and test new therapies. This effort showed that their genome is remarkably similar to the human one, with at least 70% of human genes having a zebrafish equivalent a figure that is even higher when only diseasecausing genes are considered. Although zebrafish have become an extremely important research model, relatively little is known about the diseases that affect this species when held in captivity. Apr 19, 20 zebrafish genome yields significant similarity to human genome. Along with mice and humans, they are one of the most commonly studied animals in. Nov 20, 2012 the overall aim of our research is to utilise the power of the zebrafish as a model vertebrate to understand normal development and to find potential cures of human disorders. So, most hostpathogen interactions that could be studied using this approach might be fishspecific. Noga has compiled the most comprehensive reference book available regarding fish diagnostics. The causative agent of velvet disease in zebrafish is piscinoodinium sp.
The use of zebrafish danio rerio as a model organism. Scientists develop zebrafish model for studying parkinson. While mice and rats have been common choices for modeling human diseases in the past, the use of zebrafish. Zebrafish danio rerio is a valuable nonmammalian vertebrate model widely used to. Zebrafish fact sheets small tropical freshwater fish average length of adult zebrafish is 12. Als disease models used in the laboratory help researchers understand the basic processes of the disease, which is essential for developing new therapies. The development and function of zebrafish organs are strikingly similar to those of humans, and the ease of creating mutant or transgenic fish has facilitated the generation of disease models. Advantages and disadvantages using zebrafish models of disease. Drug screening high throughput chemical screening in zebra sh is a very promising.
Zebrafish as an in vivo screen for early black cranberry. Zebrafish genome yields significant similarity to human. Interestingly, dystrophin was one of the first human disease genes discovered through positional cloning 2, 3, 4. Zebrafish are becoming more and more popular as a research model for human disease. That is why the wellcome trust has paid so much money to study the zebrafish at the. Scientists develop zebrafish model for studying parkinsons. Diagnosis and treatment, second edition provides thorough, yet concise descriptions of viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic and noninfectious diseases in an exhaustive number of fish species. Zebrafish have been widely used as a model system for studying developmental processes, but in the last decade, they have also emerged as a valuable system for modeling human disease. Pdf modeling human disease and development in zebrafish. In addition, the zebrafish is increasingly used as a genetic model organism for.
May 11, 2015 the zebrafish genome has been fully sequenced, which is a musthave for model organisms nowadays. In order to fully exploit the fish system for modeling human disorders, various strategies, including both forward and reverse genetics and the use of physical manipulation to induce disease like. Modeling human disease and development in zebrafish. The deeper you zoom in, the greater the similarities you will observe. Sequencing of the entire genetic makeup of the zebrafish has revealed that 70 per cent of proteincoding human genes are related to genes found in the zebrafish and that 84 per cent of genes known to be associated with human disease have a zebrafish counterpart. Zebrafish provide insights into causes and treatment of. Scientists in singapore have recently developed a zebrafish model for parkinsons disease that can be used for understanding the mechanism underlying its. In addition, zebrafish are diurnal allowing behaviour to be measured during their natural day time.
Generate tools for inducing and modeling human diseases in vivo. Genetic similarity with human being about 7080% physiological similarity adultssmall in size, easy to maintain breed readily approximately every 10 days and can produce as many as 50 to 300 eggs at a time embryos laid and fertilized externally easily. Most fish from pet stores or dealers carry velvet disease. Largescale chemical screens zebrafish are not just aquatic mice. How a transparent fish may help decode the brain science. Zebrafish share a high genetic similarity to humans, and approximately 70% of all human disease genes have functional homologs in zebrafish.
Zebrafishs growing impact on medical research sciencedaily. The zebrafish reference genome sequence and its relationship. Zon1,2,3 1department of stem cell and regenerative biology, harvard university, cambridge, massachusetts, usa. To illustrate the use of zebrafish for disease modeling, we first focus on selected blood disorders, which constitute the first human pathologies modeled in fish, in part due to the high degree of conservation of hematopoiesis between fish and human. Fish for science website visit the fish for science website to learn more about zebrafish research. Zebrafish models of cancernew insights on modeling human. The development and function of zebrafish organs are strikingly similar to those of humans, and the ease of creating mutant or transgenic fish has facilitated the. Zon, a professor of stem cell and regenerative biology at harvard university, thought to study human diseases in zebrafish. Potential of the zebrafish model to study congenital muscular dystrophies. How the diminutive zebrafish is having a big impact on. Important disease models in als include cells, worms nematodes, flies, fish, mice, rats and stem cells. Chitramuthu bp 20 modeling human disease and development in. And for the first few days of their lives, zebrafish, brains to tail, are seethrough. Modeling human disease in zebrafish cristina santoriello1 and leonard i.
The tiny fish that has helped unlock the mysteries of human. Zebra fish in medical research understanding animal. Rps19 mutations are heterozygous in patients and the complete knockout of rps19 is embryonic lethal in the mouse. It has many characteristics that make it a valuable model for studying human genetics and disease. In recent years, genetic and chemical approaches in zebrafish have elucidated cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver and pancreatic cancer formation and progression. Review open access adult zebrafish as a model organism. The virtually transparent embryos of this species, and the ability to accelerate genetic studies by gene knockdown or overexpression, have led to the widespread use of zebrafish in the detailed investigation of vertebrate gene function and increasingly, the study of human genetic disease 35. Zebrafish as a model system to study and cure human. Apr 23, 2014 animal models of human disease zebrafish swim into view first, human pathogens cause disease at 37c, whereas zebrafish are maintained at 28c. More to the point, if you look at genes that cause disease in human, 84% of these have zebrafish analogues. In its larval stages it is transparent and as it matures to an adult it develops stripes. This oval to roundshaped parasite attaches to the skin and gills of the fish. About frontiers institutional membership books news frontiers.
The zebrafish is the most important fish model in developmental and genetic analyses. F rapid development all major organs are formed in 24 h after fertilization. Sep 15, 20 more to the point, if you look at genes that cause disease in human, 84% of these have zebrafish analogues. Liver and pancreatic cancers are amongst the leading causes of cancer death. Zebrafish are highly susceptible to velvet disease. By modeling these human disease genes in zebrafish, we hope that resources worldwide will produce important biological information regarding the function of these genes and possibly find new. Recently, diamondblackfan anemia dba has been modeled in the zebrafish through morpholinomediated knock down of rps19, a ribosomal protein found recurrently mutated in the human disease.
The zebrafish is a tropical fish native to southeast asia. No model is a perfect representation of the human disease, but each model offers. The overall aim of our research is to utilise the power of the zebrafish as a model vertebrate to understand normal development and to find potential cures of. Zebra fish models for diabetes linkedin slideshare. Emerged as a highly versatile and applicable vertebrate animal model to study embryonic development, zebrafish over the last two decades became a valuable human disease model for cardiovascular. Jan 12, 2017 researchers led by the francis crick institute have developed a zebrafish model of a human disease hirschsprung disease that enables them to study the disease s causes and consequences in. Modeling human muscle disease in zebrafish sciencedirect. Because cancer modeling in zebrafish has also become a field of intense investigation, we then. Zebrafish have several advantages over other model organisms that include optically transparent embryos, ease of genetic manipulation, sequenced genome, rapid external development, high fecundity, extensive regenerative capabilities, and straightforward husbandry requirements.
Zon, a professor of stem cell and regenerative biology at harvard. Zebrafish have become a popular organism for the study of vertebrate gene function 1,2. Dec 05, 2017 gene expression profiling of liverpancreas revealed pathways common to human t2dm genes dysregulated in t2dm zebra fish 83 and 64v according to the ensembl gene orthologs database these 147 zebrafish genes corresponded to 121 human orthologs. The utility of zebrafish for physiological research is based on several key features including i a fully sequenced genome, ii rapid 3 month.
Isolated from a large forward genetic screen, the zebrafish mutant sauternes sau has a defect in hemoglobin production. In recent decades, the zebrafish danio rerio has become. The first zebrafish model of a human disease derived from positional cloning was established in 1998. In order to fully exploit the fish system for modeling human disorders, various strategies, including both forward and reverse genetics and the use of physical manipulation to induce diseaselike. Zebrafish genome yields significant similarity to human genome. Apr 26, 2010 scientists in singapore have recently developed a zebrafish model for parkinsons disease that can be used for understanding the mechanism underlying its development. The zebrafish is an excellent model for human muscle disease due to its rapid and external development, the ease of experimental manipulation, live cell imaging and physiology, the possibility of. Research often utilizes patients cells or tissue samples, but to determine if a mutation in a specific gene can cause a patients symptoms, we often need experimental animal models. Along with mice and humans, they are one of the most commonly studied animals in biomedical research.
Zebrafish models of human disease retain many of the advantages of mammalian. With fish health experts being increasingly called upon to provide answers about disease outbreaks in fishery populations, dr. Zebrafish will be beneficial for the understanding of human disease pathogenesis and ultimately the discovery of new therapeutic agents for a wide range of. The laboratory mouse has become the most widely used model principally owing to the ease by which it can be genetically modified. Jul 06, 2012 zebrafish, popular as aquarium fish, now have an important place in research labs as a model organism for studying human diseases. Now in full color with over 500 images, the book is designed as a comprehensive guide to the identification and treatment of both common and rare problems encountered during the clinical workup. Zebrafish provide insights into causes and treatment of human. The development and function of zebrafish organs are strikingly similar to those of humans, and. Zebrafish share a high genetic similarity to humans, and approximately 70% of all human disease genes have functional homologs in zebrafish 1.
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