Articles tagged with Zebrafish
A research team led by Iowa State University's Raquel Espin Palazon identified two essential components — a pervasive protein and a crucial cellular signaling pathway — needed to make some types of blood cells. Adding these components to leukemia cells could potentially lead to new treatment options.
A new class of photoswitchable small molecule drugs has been developed to restore key visual functions in animal models of blindness. These compounds mimic the function of photoreceptor cells and show remarkable effectiveness at restoring sight using a simple and potentially patient-friendly approach.
Research in zebrafish shows that altered presence of neural microexons leads to hyperarousal, insomnia, and stress-like behavior. The study suggests that this mechanism could be conserved in humans and may contribute to symptoms of disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
Researchers found coordinated brain activity linked to social behavior begins seconds before movement starts in zebrafish. The pallium plays a key role in generating social drive, with stronger neural signatures predicting more socially engaged individuals.
Researchers developed a new method to raise germ-free zebrafish using gamma irradiation, enabling long-term studies of host-microbe interactions. This approach revealed significant differences between germ-free and intact zebrafish, suggesting conserved roles for microbiomes in immunity and metabolism across species.
Researchers at ISTA uncovered why keratin plays an essential part in embryonic cell movement and organization. Without keratin, the process slows dramatically, leading to tissue collapse and loss of cellular alignment. Keratin helps maintain the structural integrity and cohesion of cells during early development.
Researchers found that aerobic exercise counteracted oxidative stress and inflammation caused by nanoplastics in female zebrafish. Exercise also improved neuroendocrine health by altering gut microbe balances.
Researchers developed RegVelo, an AI framework that models cellular dynamics and gene regulation to predict cellular fate decisions. The model traces developmental trajectories and simulates regulatory interactions, providing insights into hidden drivers of development and potential therapeutic targets.
The University of Cincinnati has opened a zebrafish research facility to investigate the effects of environmental contaminants on human fertility. The lab will use zebrafish as a model organism to understand molecular mechanisms behind reproductive biology and infertility.
Dr. Zon's pioneering research has illuminated how blood develops in embryos, leading to a deeper understanding of rare blood diseases, including pregnancy complications. His discoveries have also led to breakthrough treatments for genetic blood disorders affecting babies and children.
A zebrafish model was used to test the functional significance of rare SMN1 variants in children with false positive SMA diagnoses. The research found that both variants were functional and did not cause the disease. This breakthrough could prevent unnecessary SMA therapies and provide families with security.
Chronic ephedrine exposure disrupts brain development and behavior in adult fish, causing changes in locomotion, anxiety-like responses, and learning performance. Transcriptomic and neurochemical analyses reveal widespread molecular disruptions, including impaired synaptogenesis and neurotransmitter balance.
A study published in Science of The Total Environment found that e-cigarette exposure alters gut microbiota composition and affects neurobehavior in zebrafish. The researchers observed disruptions in the gut microbiome, with reduced microbial network stability and altered community composition, suggesting potential health risks.
Research reveals that nanoplastics amplify the toxicity of tire-derived chemicals, causing severe eye malformations and impaired vision in zebrafish embryos. The study highlights a previously underappreciated risk of combined pollution, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches to environmental management.
Researchers used integrated strategy to assess neurotoxicity of environmental chemicals, identifying six core proteins as targets. Exposure to low levels of nicotine stunted growth and triggered abnormal behaviors in zebrafish larvae.
Researchers at ISTA have found that the zebrafish embryo's geometry is essential for its development, guiding cell division and gene activation. The study's findings could improve IVF embryo assessments by understanding how the embryo interprets its geometry.
Researchers have identified the cells and connections underlying a fish's ability to dynamically change color to match its surroundings. The study found that specialized skin cells called melanophores control the color change, which helps the zebrafish evade predators by lightening its skin over tens of minutes.
Researchers discovered craters on the surface of melanoma cells that serve as immune hubs and facilitate local tumor killing. These structures, termed CRATERs, may serve as a more accurate marker of immunotherapy's success in treating solid tumors.
Researchers used zebrafish with a mutation in the ube3a gene to investigate how environmental factors affect social behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The study found that environmental adjustments could hold therapeutic potential for ASD-related behavioral challenges.
Researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science and Sheba Medical Center identified two drugs with the potential to treat KLA, a rare genetic disorder affecting the lymphatic system. The study used transparent zebrafish embryos to decipher the disease mechanism and find effective treatments.
Researchers develop efficient testing procedure to quickly detect neurotoxic effects in humans, closing the gap with traditional animal experiments. Chlorophene is identified as a substance that disrupts learning and memory processes, exhibiting paradoxical excitation, a previously unknown effect.
The new handbook provides a practical approach to harnessing zebrafish as a model organism for biomedical research, covering drug efficacy evaluation and disease mechanisms. It offers step-by-step experimental protocols and theoretical grounding for researchers of all levels.
Researchers compared prey-capture behaviors in five fish species, revealing distinct strategies that differ from zebrafish. These differences suggest species-specific sensory inputs and motor control, shedding light on how brain circuits support behavior and evolution shapes those circuits.
Scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research identified two distinct genes that regulate regeneration of sensory cells in zebrafish. The discovery may guide future studies on hearing loss and regenerative medicine in mammals, including humans.
Scientists have identified a set of genes in zebrafish that reactivate after damage to the heart and patch it up like new. The researchers hope to use CRISPR tools to reactivate similar genes in humans and jump-start repair of the heart and other tissues after injury.
Researchers created a zebrafish model of XMEA, an ultra-rare genetic disease that progressively weakens muscles. The study found that two compounds improved symptoms in the zebrafish, and autophagy antagonists showed promise for treating the disease.
Researchers found that prolonged exposure to N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and its oxidation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) disrupts lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, causes liver injury, and alters behavioral patterns in zebrafish. The study suggests that transformation products may pose even greater risks.
Researchers developed tomoseqr, a user-friendly software to estimate 3D spatial gene expression distribution. The software successfully reproduced known gene expression patterns and mapped the 3D spatial distribution of genes in zebrafish and planarians.
Researchers discover Dscamb protein regulates spacing between color-detecting cells, ensuring perfect arrangement for optimal vision. The protein acts as a 'self-avoidance enforcer' to maintain proper distances between cone cells.
Researchers at ELTE have created an online database of snoRNAs in zebrafish, revealing 67 previously unknown snoRNAs and providing a comprehensive analysis of their expression during development and in adult tissues. The findings may help create better zebrafish disease models and aid understanding of complex human diseases.
A study by Pusan National University uncovers the impact of nanoplastic exposure on red blood cell maturation in zebrafish embryos. Exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles disrupts normal blood cell development, leading to an increase in immature RBCs and a decrease in mature RBCs.
Researchers found that amlodipine significantly reduced hyperactivity and impulsivity in rats and zebrafish bred to exhibit ADHD-like symptoms. The study suggests a potential target brain pathway for treatments.
Larval zebrafish rapidly learn to recognize and avoid predator robots in a novel simulation system. The fish's brain utilizes multiple regions, including the noradrenergic system and forebrain, to encode and recall predator avoidance memories.
Zebrafish have pineal gland photoreceptors that detect color using parapinopsin 1 (PP1) protein. Two genes, Sagb and Arr3a, play a crucial role in the inactivation of PP1 based on light intensity, with Sagb taking over at higher intensities.
A USC Stem Cell study found that the mammalian outer ear evolved from cartilaginous gills in fishes and marine invertebrates. The research used gene control elements to show a connection between gill and ear development.
A zebrafish protein, Hmga1, has been found to unlock dormant genes for heart repair in mice. The discovery could lead to regenerative therapies to prevent heart failure in humans.
Researchers used zebrafish to test ketamine's effects on depression, revealing that the drug suppresses 'giving up' behavior by overstimulating astroglia cells. This finding suggests a potential new approach for treating depression by targeting these non-neuronal cells.
A USC Stem Cell study has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals, including fish and lizards, to naturally regenerate their hearing. The researchers found a class of DNA control elements known as 'enhancers' that amplify the production of a protein called ATOH1, which induces sensory cells in the inner ear.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Columbia University identified a mini-brain within the heart with its own nervous system that controls the heartbeat. This discovery challenges current views on how the heartbeat is controlled and may lead to new insights into heart diseases and treatments.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University found that suppression of Pcdh8 is essential for proper notochord elongation in zebrafish embryos. This study may lead to novel tumor therapies in humans due to the gene's role in controlling cell proliferation.
A team of researchers has identified a mechanism that interferes with the splicing process in a more subtle way, leading to cell death. The study reveals that spliceosome subunits U4, U5, and U6 are normally stabilized by protein USP39, but when mutated or absent, stability is compromised, causing incorrect connections during splicing.
Researchers have discovered that a glaucoma drug, methazolamide, can clear tau build-up and reduce disease symptoms in zebrafish and mice. The study suggests that carbonic anhydrase inhibitors may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Researchers have created a comprehensive atlas of zebrafish development, combining time-lapse videos and gene expression data to map the behavior of individual cells. This breakthrough tool offers new insights into how lifeforms develop from single cells to complex organisms.
A recent study employs zebrafish to model Nager syndrome, revealing the role of sf3b4 mutations in facial development and apoptosis. The research suggests that FGF8 plays a critical role in disease pathogenesis and provides a potential therapeutic strategy.
Researchers found that exposure to PFAS triggers altered activity of the ppar gene group, leading to changes in swimming behaviour and startle response in zebrafish larvae. The study suggests that PFAS may also have effects on human brain development and behavior.
Researchers have found evidence for place cells in zebrafish brains, allowing them to create internal maps of their environment. The brain region, telencephalon, is also thought to be analogous to the mammalian hippocampus and plays a key role in spatial orientation, social networks, and memory.
A new study reveals that zebrafish spinal cords regenerate by leveraging the survival and adaptability of severed neurons, rather than relying on stem cells. The research identifies genetic targets to promote this type of plasticity in humans and other mammals.
Researchers discovered that nuclei pack strongly, ordering cells into crystalline arrays, and control tissue stiffness. The study challenges the status quo, revealing a new role for nuclei in organ formation.
Researchers found that macrophages induce cancer cell apoptosis and then eat away dead cells after BCG vaccine injection in a new animal model. This breakthrough could lead to more effective bladder cancer treatments.
Researchers found that a tiny deletion in the titin protein causes developmental defects in embryonic ventricles, leading to increased potassium ion current and abnormal ANP expression. This remodeling leads to impaired atrial contractility and an increased risk of adult atrial fibrillation.
New research from the University of Oregon describes the communication between nerve cells and muscle cells via electrical signals during development, known as bioelectricity. The study identifies specific genes that control the process and offers clues to the genetic origins of muscle disorders.
Researchers identified a novel virus in pet trade zebrafish that causes hemorrhaging in laboratory fish, revealing a risk of viral transmission. The study found that viruses circulating in healthy pet trade zebrafish can transmit to laboratory animals and cause severe disease.
Researchers have pinpointed the cellular machinery behind zebrafish's ability to rapidly change the color of their characteristic stripes from blue to yellow when distressed. By precisely altering the orientation of light-reflecting crystals, the fish can change the color of their stripes across the entire length of their body in seconds.
Researchers found that zebrafish synchronize movements by taking turns to move and responding to neighbors' timing, a two-way process known as reciprocity. Virtual reality experiments confirmed the principle, enabling the recreation of natural schooling behavior in fish and virtual conspecifics.
Researchers discovered a link between disrupted developmental dopamine signaling and autism spectrum disorder, highlighting the importance of studying neural development pathways. The study found that dopaminergic signaling disruptions led to neural circuit abnormalities and behavioral phenotypes reminiscent of autism in zebrafish larvae.
Researchers developed a method to quantify mRNA transcription and degradation rates within individual cell types, uncovering varied regulatory rates across genes. The study provides novel insights into how pluripotent cells adopt specialized identities through gene expression.
A team of physicists discovered that groups of just three zebrafish exhibit coordinated movement patterns similar to those in large schools. In contrast, pairs of fish behave differently, with one leading the other. The study's findings suggest that three is a critical number for group cohesion in schooling behavior.
Researchers have identified a gene responsible for the development of starvation-induced fatty liver in cavefish, which are able to protect their liver due to reduced fat accumulation. This genetic basis has implications for understanding and addressing liver conditions in humans, including Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Researchers have solved the long-standing question of what triggers the alarm response in fish by identifying two distinct chemical signals: Daniol sulphate and Ostariopterin. These substances convey separate pieces of information that must be detected simultaneously to trigger a flight-or-freeze response.
A recent study by CNRS scientists shows that zebrafish larvae without functional eyes still maintain synchronized circadian rhythms with light-dark cycles. This finding suggests alternative neural circuits may set the biological clock in some species.