Zebrafish as a model system to study toxicology

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and chemistry Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 11 - 17
• Main Authors: Dai, Yu‐Jie, Jia, Yong‐Fang, Chen, Na, Bian, Wan‐Ping, Li, Qin‐Kai, Ma, Yan‐Bo, Chen, Yan‐Ling, Pei, De‐Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensacola, FL Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2014; SETAC
• Subjects: Adaptability; analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Applied ecology; Aquatic ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Contaminants; Danio rerio; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollutants; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental pollution; Fecundity; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metals; human health; methods; Model system; Models, Animal; Monitoring; Monitoring systems; Monitors; Organisms; Pollutants; Pollution monitoring; Public health; Toxicology; Toxicology - methods; Transgenic; Transgenic zebrafish; Zebrafish; Mimetic hormone; Environmental pollution; Endocrine disruptor; Review; Model system; Heavy metal; Trace element; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Brachydanio rerio; Pollution; Toxicology; Pisces; Environment; Models; Cyprinidae; Transgenic zebrafish; Genetically modified organism; Environmental monitoring; Monitoring; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0730-7268; 1552-8618; 1552-8618
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.2406

Monitoring and assessing the effects of contaminants in the aquatic eco‐environment is critical in protecting human health and the environment. The zebrafish has been widely used as a prominent model organism in different fields because of its small size, low cost, diverse adaptability, short breeding cycle, high fecundity, and transparent embryos. Recent studies have demonstrated that zebrafish sensitivity can aid in monitoring environmental contaminants, especially with the application of transgenic technology in this area. The present review provides a brief overview of recent studies on wild‐type and transgenic zebrafish as a model system to monitor toxic heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, and organic pollutants for toxicology. The authors address the new direction of developing high‐throughput detection of genetically modified transparent zebrafish to open a new window for monitoring environmental pollutants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:11–17. © 2013 SETAC