Teleost fish – powerful models for studying development, function and diseases of the human eye

The human eye is a highly specialized structure and defects in its development or functioning process have an impact on the quality of life. Different animal models, especially murine models, have been used to identify the key molecular players required for the normal functioning of the eye. This review highlights the importance of the teleost model in dissecting the development, functioning process and diseases of the human eye.

A high degree of conservation is seen in the development, organization and function of the eye throughout vertebrates. Vertebrate teleost models, zebrafish and medaka, have become popular to study various aspects of developmental biology and genetics. Teleost eye shows high similarity to that of the mammalian eye; for example, as seen in mammals, the retina of zebrafish and medaka shows six types of neurons and one type of glia arranged in three layers. In addition, rapid embryonic development, transparency during early development, and the availability of various biochemical, molecular and genetic techniques applicable on these models facilitate in dissecting the developmental and functioning processes of the eye. The availability of mutants with eye defects in zebrafish and medaka allows the possibility of utilizing these two species as comparative models in gaining rapid understanding of the developmental events of various human diseases. The small size of these fish embryos and their availability in large numbers allow performing medically relevant chemical screens to identify potential drug and/or drug targets for different human eye conditions.