Abstract
Over the past decade, zebrafish are being increasingly used in assessing the effects of chemical compounds. Especially, the embryos and larvae, due to their microscopically small size and optical transparency, are compatible with multi-well microtiter plates for high throughput screening. Being transparent, they allow for non-invasive visualization of internal organs during early development. The organization of the genome, the genetic pathways controlling signal transduction and the developmental pattern appear to be significantly conserved between zebrafish and humans. Major organ systems including the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive and visual systems of zebrafish are also similar to their mammalian counterparts at the anatomical, physiological and molecular levels. Therefore, zebrafish assays are ideal for evaluating multiple organ toxicities simultaneously that contrast in vitro assays performed on cultured cells or tissue explants and organ slices. Although research on zebrafish as a model system began a few decades ago, later studies on zebrafish developmental biology and developmental genetics resulted in the characterization of a large number of genes involved in vertebrate development and biological pathways thus establishing zebrafish as a relevant human disease model for research. Recently, zebrafish have become an attractive vertebrate model for pharmaceutical and toxicological studies. We have outlined in this review some of the toxicological screens and tools that used zebrafish early life stages, and the efforts made to validate zebrafish assays against mammalian drug screens.
Keywords: Zebrafish, drug, toxicity screening, high throughput assay, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Zebrafish Model in Drug Safety Assessment
Volume: 20 Issue: 34
Author(s): Jyotshna Kanungo, Elvis Cuevas, Syed F. Ali and Merle G. Paule
Affiliation:
Keywords: Zebrafish, drug, toxicity screening, high throughput assay, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity.
Abstract: Over the past decade, zebrafish are being increasingly used in assessing the effects of chemical compounds. Especially, the embryos and larvae, due to their microscopically small size and optical transparency, are compatible with multi-well microtiter plates for high throughput screening. Being transparent, they allow for non-invasive visualization of internal organs during early development. The organization of the genome, the genetic pathways controlling signal transduction and the developmental pattern appear to be significantly conserved between zebrafish and humans. Major organ systems including the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive and visual systems of zebrafish are also similar to their mammalian counterparts at the anatomical, physiological and molecular levels. Therefore, zebrafish assays are ideal for evaluating multiple organ toxicities simultaneously that contrast in vitro assays performed on cultured cells or tissue explants and organ slices. Although research on zebrafish as a model system began a few decades ago, later studies on zebrafish developmental biology and developmental genetics resulted in the characterization of a large number of genes involved in vertebrate development and biological pathways thus establishing zebrafish as a relevant human disease model for research. Recently, zebrafish have become an attractive vertebrate model for pharmaceutical and toxicological studies. We have outlined in this review some of the toxicological screens and tools that used zebrafish early life stages, and the efforts made to validate zebrafish assays against mammalian drug screens.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Kanungo Jyotshna, Cuevas Elvis, Ali F. Syed and Paule G. Merle, Zebrafish Model in Drug Safety Assessment, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2014; 20 (34) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612820666140205145658
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612820666140205145658 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Nanosized Tamoxifen-Porphyrin-Glucose [TPG] Conjugate: Novel Selective Anti-breast-cancer Agent, Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluations
Medicinal Chemistry Crocins: The Active Constituents of Crocus Sativus L. Stigmas, Exert Significant Cytotoxicity on Tumor Cells In Vitro
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Drug Resistance: Challenges to Effective Therapy
Current Cancer Drug Targets Left-Right Asymmetry in Embryonic Development and Breast Cancer: Common Molecular Determinants?
Current Medicinal Chemistry Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 - The Oncogene and its Accomplices
Current Pharmaceutical Design IP6 & Inositol in Cancer Prevention and Therapy
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Surface Antigens/Receptors for Targeted Cancer Treatment: The GnRH Receptor / Binding Site for Targeted Adenocarcinoma Therapy
Current Cancer Drug Targets Porphyrins as Radiosensitizing Agents for Solid Neoplasms
Current Pharmaceutical Design Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Prospective of three Linum species: A Potential Source of Novel Anticancer Pharmacophores
Current Organic Chemistry CD133+ Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells Induce Vascular Mimicry in Vivo
Current Neurovascular Research Naphthalimides and Azonafides as Promising Anti-Cancer Agents
Current Medicinal Chemistry From a Classic Approach in Cancer Chemotherapy Towards Differentiation Therapy: Acyclic and Cyclic Seven-Membered 5-Fluorouracil O,N-Acetals
Current Pharmaceutical Design Non-Genotoxic p53-Activators and their Significance as Antitumor Therapy of Future
Current Medicinal Chemistry The Neuroendocrine Component in Bladder Tumors
Current Medicinal Chemistry Molecular Pathology of Sarcomas
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Transcription Factors in Heart: Promising Therapeutic Targets in Cardiac Hypertrophy
Current Cardiology Reviews Inhibition of Polo-Like Kinase 1 by BI2536 Reverses the Multidrug Resistance of Human Hepatoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Anti-cancer Drug Discovery: Update and Comparisons in Yeast, Drosophila, and Zebrafish
Current Molecular Pharmacology The Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS) and the Mechanism of Action of Bortezomib
Current Pharmaceutical Design Heterocyclic Scaffolds: Centrality in Anticancer Drug Development
Current Drug Targets