What is zebrafish model used in vivo study?5 answersThe zebrafish model is extensively utilized for in vivo studies across various research areas. Zebrafish embryos offer advantages like transparency, ease of handling, and the absence of adaptive immunity, making them ideal for xenograft development and drug delivery system evaluation. Zebrafish are also employed for ocular disease gene screening, with established assays for ocular biometry, refractive status, intraocular pressure, and visual function assessment. Furthermore, zebrafish larvae have a fully functional pronephron, resembling higher vertebrates, making them valuable for drug disposition studies and bridging the gap between cell culture models and pharmacokinetic experiments. In the realm of neurological disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), zebrafish serve as a promising model due to genetic similarities, brain anatomy parallels, and neurotransmitter system resemblances with humans, aiding in drug discovery efforts. Additionally, the zebrafish embryo tuberculosis model is utilized for evaluating the toxicity and efficacy of anti-TB compounds, providing a quick and sensitive tool for early-stage drug development.
How does zebrafish move?5 answersZebrafish exhibit complex movement patterns influenced by social interactions and environmental stimuli. Research shows that zebrafish can make decisions about their travel direction based on visual cues and social responses. They tend to follow moving conspecifics, with the ability to decide which individual to follow or move in an average direction. Additionally, zebrafish larvae display phototaxis, moving in response to light by utilizing visual cues and brightness changes to navigate towards light sources. In dynamic environments, zebrafish mobility can reflect pathological conditions, with motor neuron dysfunction affecting their ability to swim against flow patterns, showcasing a link between mobility and cellular behavior. Overall, zebrafish movement is a result of intricate decision-making processes influenced by social interactions, visual cues, and environmental conditions.
What are the social behaviours of zebrafish?4 answersZebrafish exhibit various social behaviors, including shoaling, schooling, social preference, aggression, and group coordination. Shoaling, a genetically fixed behavior, is influenced by factors like predators and drugs. Social interactions among conspecifics are crucial for normal development and are linked to psychiatric disorders. Zebrafish show a preference for dependent and interactive movements, indicating a reinforcement of social stimuli through operant conditioning. The fitness benefits of social life in zebrafish depend on affiliating with others, forming groups, and cognitive capacities, modulated by neuroendocrine mechanisms like oxytocin-vasopressin systems. Zebrafish exhibit primitive sensorimotor responses that regulate group behaviors, influenced by genetic makeup and mutations affecting social behavior in humans.
What are the advantages of using zebrafish for research?4 answersZebrafish offer several advantages for research. They are easy to maintain, reproduce quickly, and have a short life cycle, making them convenient for experimental studies. Zebrafish also have a high genetic similarity to humans, making them a suitable model for studying human diseases and drug development. Their transparency during early development allows for easy observation of biological processes. Additionally, zebrafish are cost-effective to maintain and require minimal laboratory equipment. They can be easily manipulated and genetically modified, enabling researchers to study specific genes and pathways. Zebrafish are also used in toxicological research and as model organisms to evaluate the effects of environmental pollutants. Overall, the advantages of zebrafish as a research model include their small size, rapid development, genetic similarity to humans, ease of manipulation, and cost-effectiveness.
What disciplines are zebrafish used in?3 answersZebrafish are used in a wide range of disciplines including human disease research, drug screening, toxicology, embryology, developmental biology, reproductive biology, behavior, neurobiology, immunology, oncology, teratology, stem cell and regenerative biology. They are also utilized in studies on aquacultured fish species, specifically investigating bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases. Zebrafish have been adopted as model organisms for nanotoxicology studies, particularly in assessing the toxicity of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. Additionally, zebrafish embryos are used as a resource for teaching students about vertebrate development.
What are the benefits of using a zebrafish as a model organism in research?5 answersZebrafish is a valuable model organism in research due to its small size, optical transparency, and high number of embryos, making it suitable for high-throughput drug testing. It has been used in toxicological research, modeling various diseases, and screening tests for active substances. Zebrafish models have been recommended for studying human cancer due to their suitability for in vivo imaging, fast development, chemical screening, and adaptable genetics. In the field of aquatic ecotoxicology, zebrafish has advantages such as small size, easy reproduction, short life cycle, low maintenance cost, and the ability to evaluate the toxicity of environmental pollutants using various methods. Additionally, zebrafish has been used to investigate the role of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in Parkinson's disease, highlighting its contribution to understanding disease pathogenesis. Overall, zebrafish offers numerous benefits as a model organism, including its ease of use, genetic similarity to humans, and applicability to a wide range of research areas.