A review of the melatonin functions in zebrafish physiology

Abstract

Melatonin is part of the evolutionary conserved highly functional network in vertebrates. It plays a central role in the adaptative behavior of the animal to the environment, including entrainment of daily and annual physiological rhythms, reproductive behavior, food intake, locomotor activity, growth, and breeding performance. In zebrafish, apart from its synchronizing capabilities, melatonin seems to have a major role in multiple physiological processes. Extensive knowledge of its genome and the identification of a series of genes with the same functions as those in humans, the relative ease of obtaining mutants, and the similarities between zebrafish and human pathologies make it an excellent experimental model organism of human diseases. Moreover, it is a common experimental species because of easy handling, breeding, and developmental control. Among other pathophysiologies, zebrafish are now used in studies of neurodegeneration and neurological diseases, endocrine diseases, behavior, muscular dystrophies, developmental alterations, circadian rhythms, and drugs screening. The purpose of this review was to update the current knowledge on the synthesis and biological functions of melatonin in zebrafish, keeping in mind its relevance not only in the physiology of the animal, but also in pathophysiological conditions.

Exogenous melatonin inhibits neutrophil migration through suppression of ERK activation

“…It plays a central circadian-controlling role in various physiological activities, including sleep keeping, memory formation, locomotor activity, and reproductive behavior, which coordinate organisms to adapt to the changes in the surrounding environment (Lima-Cabello et al 2014). …”

“…Aanat1 is mainly expressed in the retina, and aanat2 is distributed in both the pineal and the retina (Appelbaum et al 2006). As the major output of the pineal gland in vertebrates, melatonin plays a vital homeostatic role in the rhythm-dependent basic functions of zebrafish physiology, including sleep (Zhdanova 2011, Elbaz et al 2013, diet (Lima-Cabello et al 2014), development (Kazimi & Cahill 1999, de Borsetti et allearning and memory (Baydas et al 2005, Moriya et al 2007. Almost all of the functional actions of the melatonin system are conducted through the identified receptor 1, 2, or 3 (Fusani & Gahr 2014, Kleber et al 2014, Lee et al 2014.…”

Research progress on the role of melatonin and its receptors in animal reproduction: A comprehensive review

“…It has been proved that follicular assortment and atresia rely on GC apoptosis. Melatonin controls testicular growth unswervingly through binding to exact receptors in the testes (Garcia, Landete‐Castillejos, Zarazaga, Garde, & Gallego, ; Lima‐Cabello et al., ; Mills, Wu, Seely, & Guyatt, ; Morgan, Barrett, Howell, & Helliwell, ).…”

Zebrafish Model for Safety and Toxicity Testing of Nutraceuticals

“…It plays a key homeostatic role in zebrafish physiology, including sleep, development, nutrition, reproduction, and learning or memory (Lima-Cabello et al, 2014). It plays a key homeostatic role in zebrafish physiology, including sleep, development, nutrition, reproduction, and learning or memory (Lima-Cabello et al, 2014).…”