Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study

A special issue of Journal of Developmental Biology (ISSN 2221-3759).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 38853

Special Issue Editors

1. Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, 1900 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
Interests: zebrafish developmental biology and genetics; skeletal muscle development and disease; heart development; homeodomain transcription factors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, 1900 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
Interests: vascular development; cell fate and plasticity; hedgehog signaling
KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Interests: limb development; patterning; chondrogenesis; osteogenesis; joint induction; stem cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The birth of zebrafish (Danio rerio) research is, for many of us, linked to the historic publication of George Streisinger and colleagues (Nature 1981;291:293-296). This work detailed the development of zebrafish genetic procedures and clonal lines. It was followed by a series of seminal papers on zebrafish developmental staging and cell lineage studies by Charles Kimmel and colleagues (for example, Dev Dyn 1995;203:253-310) and on a larger scale, forward genetic screens for zebrafish mutants by the Nüsslein-Volhard, Driever and Fishman labs (published in Development 1996;193:1-481). These studies established the standards for the use of zebrafish as a model organism for developmental genetic research. Zebrafish is used today in many diverse branches of research from basic to biomedical and applied research. In the field of developmental biology, zebrafish has been critical in identifying the components of many signalling pathways, the mechanisms behind gastrulation movements and neuronal migration, and the genetic and morphogenetic basis of the development of organs such as the heart, brain, liver, and skeleton. This Special Issue will focus on the latest advances in basic research made possible by the use of zebrafish. We invite contributions, reviews or research papers, in that area.

Prof. Dr. Lisa Maves
Prof. Dr. Mark W. Majesky
Prof. Dr. Przemko Tylzanowski
Guest Editors


Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Developmental Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • zebrafish
  • gastrulation
  • neurogenesis
  • ciliogenesis
  • skeletal development
  • chondrogenesis
  • heart development
  • angiogenesis
  • myogenesis

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 154 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Zebrafish-A Model System for Developmental Biology Study”
by Lisa Maves
J. Dev. Biol. 2020, 8(3), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb8030015 - 04 Aug 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2096
Abstract
For this Special Issue “Zebrafish-A Model System for Developmental Biology Study,” we present a collection of studies, including original research papers and review articles, that focus on advances in developmental biology research and that take advantage of the zebrafish model organism [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)

Research

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11 pages, 2649 KiB  
Article
Protein Kinase A Signaling Inhibits Iridophore Differentiation in Zebrafish
by Cynthia D. Cooper, Steve D. Erickson, Scott Yin, Trevor Moravec, Brian Peh and Kevin Curran
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(4), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6040023 - 26 Sep 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4522
Abstract
In zebrafish (Danio rerio), iridophores are specified from neural crest cells and represent a tractable system for examining mechanisms of cell fate and differentiation. Using this system, we have investigated the role of cAMP protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in pigment [...] Read more.
In zebrafish (Danio rerio), iridophores are specified from neural crest cells and represent a tractable system for examining mechanisms of cell fate and differentiation. Using this system, we have investigated the role of cAMP protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in pigment cell differentiation. Activation of PKA with the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin reduces the number of differentiated iridophores in wildtype larvae, with insignificant changes to melanophore number. Inhibition of PKA with H89 significantly increases iridophore number, supporting a specific role for PKA during iridophore development. To determine the effects of altering PKA activity on iridophore and melanophore gene expression, we examined expression of iridophore marker pnp4a, melanophore marker mitfa, and the mitfa repressor foxd3. Consistent with our cell counts, forskolin significantly decreased pnp4a expression as detected by in situ hybridization and quantification of pnp4a+ cells. Forskolin had the opposite effect on mitfa and foxd3 gene activity, increasing the area of expression. As mitfa/nacre mutants have extra iridophores as compared to wildtype larvae, we examined the function of mitfa during PKA-sensitive iridophore development. Forskolin treatment of mitfa/nacre mutants did significantly reduce the number of iridophores but to a lesser extent than that observed in treated wildtype larvae. Taken together, our data suggests that PKA inhibits iridophore development in a subset of iridophore precursors, potentially via a foxd3-independent pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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14 pages, 1201 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Two Different Cold-Extruded Feeds and Feeding Regimens on Zebrafish Survival, Growth and Reproductive Performance
by Joana F. Monteiro, Sandra Martins, Matheus Farias, Telma Costa and Ana Catarina Certal
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(3), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6030015 - 21 Jun 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6775
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one of the top model organisms used in biomedical research. Therefore, it is fundamental that zebrafish facilities continuously improve husbandry methods to provide fish with the best physiological and welfare conditions that suit each experimental purpose. Nutrition [...] Read more.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one of the top model organisms used in biomedical research. Therefore, it is fundamental that zebrafish facilities continuously improve husbandry methods to provide fish with the best physiological and welfare conditions that suit each experimental purpose. Nutrition is a husbandry aspect that needs further optimization, as it greatly affects growth, reproduction, health and behaviour. Here, we have compared the impact of different feeding regimens on zebrafish survival, growth and reproductive performance. Mutant and wild-type zebrafish were raised using several combinations of two cold-extruded processed feeds—Skretting®GemmaMicro and Sparos®Zebrafeed—and one live feed (rotifers). Zebrafeed® outperformed GemmaMicro® in terms of survival rate, and embryo viability was also higher when the spawners were fed with Zebrafeed® either from larval stage or upon sexual maturation. In contrast, GemmaMicro® favoured growth, both in size and weight. The use of rotifers until 60 days post-fertilization improved survival of fish co-fed with GemmaMicro®, while delaying their growth. Zebrafeed® performance was not affected by co-feeding rotifers. Overall, we showed that different nutritional formulas affect physiological parameters, allowing for the establishment of feeding protocols adapted to the objectives of each facility. At the same time, we validated Skretting®GemmaMicro and Sparos®Zebrafeed as two commercially available feeds that are well suited for zebrafish nutrition in a laboratory environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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14 pages, 5683 KiB  
Article
Ethanol Exposure Causes Muscle Degeneration in Zebrafish
by Elizabeth C. Coffey, Maggie E. Pasquarella, Michelle F. Goody and Clarissa A. Henry
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6010007 - 09 Mar 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6065
Abstract
Alcoholic myopathies are characterized by neuromusculoskeletal symptoms such as compromised movement and weakness. Although these symptoms have been attributed to neurological damage, EtOH may also target skeletal muscle. EtOH exposure during zebrafish primary muscle development or adulthood results in smaller muscle fibers. However, [...] Read more.
Alcoholic myopathies are characterized by neuromusculoskeletal symptoms such as compromised movement and weakness. Although these symptoms have been attributed to neurological damage, EtOH may also target skeletal muscle. EtOH exposure during zebrafish primary muscle development or adulthood results in smaller muscle fibers. However, the effects of EtOH exposure on skeletal muscle during the growth period that follows primary muscle development are not well understood. We determined the effects of EtOH exposure on muscle during this phase of development. Strikingly, muscle fibers at this stage are acutely sensitive to EtOH treatment: EtOH induces muscle degeneration. The severity of EtOH-induced muscle damage varies but muscle becomes more refractory to EtOH as muscle develops. NF-kB induction in muscle indicates that EtOH triggers a pro-inflammatory response. EtOH-induced muscle damage is p53-independent. Uptake of Evans blue dye shows that EtOH treatment causes sarcolemmal instability before muscle fiber detachment. Dystrophin-null sapje mutant zebrafish also exhibit sarcolemmal instability. We tested whether Trichostatin A (TSA), which reduces muscle degeneration in sapje mutants, would affect EtOH-treated zebrafish. We found that TSA and EtOH are a lethal combination. EtOH does, however, exacerbate muscle degeneration in sapje mutants. EtOH also disrupts adhesion of muscle fibers to their extracellular matrix at the myotendinous junction: some detached muscle fibers retain beta-Dystroglycan indicating failure of muscle end attachments. Overexpression of Paxillin, which reduces muscle degeneration in zebrafish deficient for beta-Dystroglycan, is not sufficient to rescue degeneration. Taken together, our results suggest that EtOH exposure has pleiotropic deleterious effects on skeletal muscle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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14 pages, 3381 KiB  
Article
Imaging Neuronal Activity in the Optic Tectum of Late Stage Larval Zebrafish
by Katharina Bergmann, Paola Meza Santoscoy, Konstantinos Lygdas, Yulia Nikolaeva, Ryan B. MacDonald, Vincent T. Cunliffe and Anton Nikolaev
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6010006 - 09 Mar 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8380
Abstract
The zebrafish is an established model to study the development and function of visual neuronal circuits in vivo, largely due to their optical accessibility at embryonic and larval stages. In the past decade multiple experimental paradigms have been developed to study visually-driven behaviours, [...] Read more.
The zebrafish is an established model to study the development and function of visual neuronal circuits in vivo, largely due to their optical accessibility at embryonic and larval stages. In the past decade multiple experimental paradigms have been developed to study visually-driven behaviours, particularly those regulated by the optic tectum, the main visual centre in lower vertebrates. With few exceptions these techniques are limited to young larvae (7–9 days post-fertilisation, dpf). However, many forms of visually-driven behaviour, such as shoaling, emerge at later developmental stages. Consequently, there is a need for an experimental paradigm to image the visual system in zebrafish larvae beyond 9 dpf. Here, we show that using NBT:GCaMP3 line allows for imaging neuronal activity in the optic tectum in late stage larvae until at least 21 dpf. Utilising this line, we have characterised the receptive field properties of tectal neurons of the 2–3 weeks old fish in the cell bodies and the neuropil. The NBT:GCaMP3 line provides a complementary approach and additional opportunities to study neuronal activity in late stage zebrafish larvae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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Review

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27 pages, 645 KiB  
Review
Prenatal Neuropathologies in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability: The Gestation of a Comprehensive Zebrafish Model
by Robert A. Kozol
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(4), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6040029 - 30 Nov 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4863
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping diagnostic behaviors and risk factors. These include embryonic exposure to teratogens and mutations in genes that have important functions prenatally. Animal models, including rodents and zebrafish, have been essential in [...] Read more.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping diagnostic behaviors and risk factors. These include embryonic exposure to teratogens and mutations in genes that have important functions prenatally. Animal models, including rodents and zebrafish, have been essential in delineating mechanisms of neuropathology and identifying developmental critical periods, when those mechanisms are most sensitive to disruption. This review focuses on how the developmentally accessible zebrafish is contributing to our understanding of prenatal pathologies that set the stage for later ASD-ID behavioral deficits. We discuss the known factors that contribute prenatally to ASD-ID and the recent use of zebrafish to model deficits in brain morphogenesis and circuit development. We conclude by suggesting that a future challenge in zebrafish ASD-ID modeling will be to bridge prenatal anatomical and physiological pathologies to behavioral deficits later in life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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10 pages, 2808 KiB  
Review
Dynamic Tissue Rearrangements during Vertebrate Eye Morphogenesis: Insights from Fish Models
by Florencia Cavodeassi
J. Dev. Biol. 2018, 6(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb6010004 - 28 Feb 2018
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5266
Abstract
Over the last thirty years, fish models, such as the zebrafish and medaka, have become essential to pursue developmental studies and model human disease. Community efforts have led to the generation of wide collections of mutants, a complete sequence of their genomes, and [...] Read more.
Over the last thirty years, fish models, such as the zebrafish and medaka, have become essential to pursue developmental studies and model human disease. Community efforts have led to the generation of wide collections of mutants, a complete sequence of their genomes, and the development of sophisticated genetic tools, enabling the manipulation of gene activity and labelling and tracking of specific groups of cells during embryonic development. When combined with the accessibility and optical clarity of fish embryos, these approaches have made of them an unbeatable model to monitor developmental processes in vivo and in real time. Over the last few years, live-imaging studies in fish have provided fascinating insights into tissue morphogenesis and organogenesis. This review will illustrate the advantages of fish models to pursue morphogenetic studies by highlighting the findings that, in the last decade, have transformed our understanding of eye morphogenesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish - A Model System for Developmental Biology Study)
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