PUBLICATION
Growth and Maturation in the Zebrafish, Danio Rerio: A Staging Tool for Teaching and Research
- Authors
- Singleman, C., Holtzman, N.G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-140701-3
- Date
- 2014
- Source
- Zebrafish 11(4): 396-406 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Holtzman, Nathalia Glickman
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animal Fins/anatomy & histology
- Animal Fins/growth & development*
- Animals
- Environmental Health/education*
- Pigmentation*
- Research/trends
- Zebrafish/anatomy & histology
- Zebrafish/growth & development
- Zebrafish/physiology*
- PubMed
- 24979389 Full text @ Zebrafish
Citation
Singleman, C., Holtzman, N.G. (2014) Growth and Maturation in the Zebrafish, Danio Rerio: A Staging Tool for Teaching and Research. Zebrafish. 11(4):396-406.
Abstract
Abstract Zebrafish have been increasingly used as a teaching tool to enhance the learning of many biological concepts from genetics, development, and behavior to the understanding of the local watershed. Traditionally, in both research and teaching, zebrafish work has focused on embryonic stages; however, later stages, from larval through adulthood, are increasingly being examined. Defining developmental stages based on age is a problematic way to assess maturity, because many environmental factors, such as temperature, population density, and water quality, impact growth and maturation. Fish length and characterization of key external morphological traits are considered better markers for maturation state. While a number of staging series exist for zebrafish, here we present a simplified normalization table of post-embryonic maturation well suited to both educational and research use. Specifically, we utilize fish size and four easily identified external morphological traits (pigment pattern, tail fin, anal fin, and dorsal fin morphology) to describe three larval stages, a juvenile stage, and an adult stage. These simplified maturation standards will be a useful tool for both educational and research protocols.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping