Modeling Neuronal Diseases in Zebrafish in the Era of CRISPR

Abstract

Background: Danio rerio is a powerful experimental model for studies in genetics and development. Recently, CRISPR technology has been applied in this species to mimic various human diseases, including those affecting the nervous system. Zebrafish offer multiple experimental advantages: external embryogenesis, rapid development, transparent embryos, short life cycle, and basic neurobiological processes shared with humans. This animal model, together with the CRISPR system, emerging imaging technologies, and novel behavioral approaches, lay the basis for a prominent future in neuropathology and will undoubtedly accelerate our understanding of brain function and its disorders. Objective: Gather relevant findings from studies that have used CRISPR technologies in zebrafish to explore basic neuronal function and model human diseases. Method: We systematically reviewed the most recent literature about CRISPR technology applications for understanding brain function and neurological disorders in D. rerio. We highlighted the key role of CRISPR in driving forward our understanding of particular topics in neuroscience. Results: We show specific advances in neurobiology when the CRISPR system has been applied in zebrafish and describe how CRISPR is accelerating our understanding of brain organization. Conclusion: Today, CRISPR is the preferred method to modify genomes of practically any living organism. Despite the rapid development of CRISPR technologies to generate disease models in zebrafish, more efforts are needed to efficiently combine different disciplines to find the etiology and treatments for many brain diseases.

Potential contributions of the intrinsic retinal oscillations recording using non-invasive electroretinogram to bioelectronics

“…Our initial study reported mock ERGs in mice, rats, and humans, but we did not compare their time-frequency characteristics. Furthermore, we explored whether D. rerio displays such activity, since is a powerful experimental model for biomedical studies, including those affecting the nervous system directly ( Espino-Saldaña et al, 2019 ).…”

PHLPP1 promotes neutral lipid accumulation through AMPK/ChREBP-dependent lipid uptake and fatty acid synthesis pathways

“…Embryos were lysed in lysis buffer containing Tris buffer pH 7.0 and EDTA pH 8. The crude extract was used as template to amplify the CRISPR-targeted region of the PHLPP1 gene ( Espino-Saldaña et al., 2020 ; Sorlien et al., 2018 ). Indels were visualized using the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) on 10% native PAGE.…”

Rearing Conditions and Automated Feed Distribution Systems for Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…Zebrafish genome shares a high degree of synteny with both lower and higher vertebrate (from teleost fish to human) genomes [7,8]. Its sequence is fully accessible [9], a condition shared by many other teleost fishes, e.g., Japanese fugu (Fugu rubripes), green-spotted pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis), medaka (Oryzias latipes), or three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).…”