PUBLICATION

Zebrafish as an alternative model organism for disease modelling and drug discovery: implications for the 3Rs

Authors
Fleming, A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-071211-3
Date
2007
Source
NC3Rs   10(1): 1-7 (Review)
Registered Authors
Fleming, Angeleen
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
none
PubMed
none
Abstract
In the past decade, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become a popular model system for the study of vertebrate development, since the embryos and larvae of this species are small, transparent and undergo rapid development ex utero allowing in vivo analysis of embryogenesis and organogenesis. These characteristics can also be exploited by researchers interested in disease processes and, accordingly, there is a growing literature on the use of zebrafish to model human disease (1-5). While the study of disease processes in the zebrafish is a powerful tool in its own right, the development of zebrafish models of human disease is also a first step for their use in drug discovery. This review article focuses on the potential 3Rs advantages of using the zebrafish as a tool for disease modelling and drug discovery, with a particular focus on the use of this species to replace or reduce the use of mammals.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping