PUBLICATION

Normal Anatomy and Histology of the Adult Zebrafish

Authors
Menke, A.L., Spitsbergen, J.M., Wolterbeek, A.P., and Woutersen, R.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-110609-55
Date
2011
Source
Toxicologic pathology   39(5): 759-775 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Spitsbergen, Jan
Keywords
zebrafish, anatomy, histology
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Models, Animal*
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology*
PubMed
21636695 Full text @ Toxicol. Pathol.
Abstract
The zebrafish has been shown to be an excellent vertebrate model for studying the roles of specific genes and signaling pathways. The sequencing of its genome and the relative ease with which gene modifications can be performed have led to the creation of numerous human disease models that can be used for testing the potential and the toxicity of new pharmaceutical compounds. Many pharmaceutical companies already use the zebrafish for prescreening purposes. So far, the focus has been on ecotoxicity and the effects on embryonic development, but there is a trend to expand the use of the zebrafish with acute, subchronic, and chronic toxicity studies that are currently still carried out with the more conventional test animals such as rodents. However, before we can fully realize the potential of the zebrafish as an animal model for understanding human development, disease, and toxicology, we must first greatly advance our knowledge of normal zebrafish physiology, anatomy, and histology. To further this knowledge, we describe, in the present article, location and histology of the major zebrafish organ systems with a brief description of their function.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping