There and back again: development and regeneration of the zebrafish lateral line system

Abstract

The zebrafish lateral line is a sensory system used to detect changes in water flow. It is comprised of clusters of mechanosensory hair cells called neuromasts. The lateral line is initially established by a migratory group of cells, called a primordium, that deposits neuromasts at stereotyped locations along the surface of the fish. Wnt, FGF, and Notch signaling are all important regulators of various aspects of lateral line development, from primordium migration to hair cell specification. As zebrafish age, the organization of the lateral line becomes more complex in order to accommodate the fish’s increased size. This expansion is regulated by many of the same factors involved in the initial development. Furthermore, unlike mammalian hair cells, lateral line hair cells have the capacity to regenerate after damage. New hair cells arise from the proliferation and differentiation of surrounding support cells, and the molecular and cellular pathways regulating this are beginning to be elucidated. All in all, the zebrafish lateral line has proven to be an excellent model in which to study a diverse array of processes, including collective cell migration, cell polarity, cell fate, and regeneration.

Fluorescent aminoglycosides reveal intracellular trafficking routes in mechanosensory hair cells

“…The LL informs nonmammalian aquatic vertebrates about proximal movements in the water. These movements are detected by superficial mechanosensory HC clusters that are innervated by the distal ends of afferent fibers that project to the hindbrain (22,23). LL HCs are morphologically and Aminoglycosides (AGs) are broad-spectrum antibiotics that are associated with kidney damage, balance disorders, and permanent hearing loss.…”

Transcriptomic Analysis of Mouse Cochlear Supporting Cell Maturation Reveals Large-Scale Changes in Notch Responsiveness Prior to the Onset of Hearing

“…In contrast to other vertebrates, where supporting cells readily re-enter the cell cycle and generate hair cells after damage, the mature organ of Corti is unable to regenerate [1, 4–7]. However, recent studies suggest that neonatal mouse supporting cells retain a limited, transient capacity for regeneration.…”

Working with zebrafish at postembryonic stages

“…Many other events occurring at postembryonic stages in zebrafish also resemble human fetal development, including modifications to the kidney (Drummond, 2005; Elizondo, Budi, & Parichy, 2010; Gerlach & Wingert, 2013) and gut (Crosnier et al, 2005; Wallace, Akhter, Smith, Lorent, & Pack, 2005); neurogenesis (Kizil, Kaslin, Kroehne, & Brand, 2012; Schmidt, Strahle, & Scholpp, 2013; Zupanc, 2011); ossification of axial and craniofacial bones (Bird & Mabee, 2003; Cubbage & Mabee, 1996; Elizondo et al, 2005; Kimmel, DeLaurier, Ullmann, Dowd, & McFadden, 2010); and continued, but differential, growth across the body (Parichy, Elizondo, Mills, Gordon, & Engeszer, 2009). Research focused on postembryonic stages has further made significant inroads toward understanding the development of the lateral line (Ghysen, Wada, & Dambly-Chaudière, 2014; Thomas, Cruz, Hailey, & Raible, 2015; Wada & Kawakami, 2015), pigment pattern (Kondo and Watanabe, 2015; Parichy & Spiewak, 2015; Singh & Nüsslein-Volhard, 2015), skeleton (Akiva et al, 2015; Eames et al, 2013), heart (Matrone, Wilson, Mullins, Tucker, & Denvir, 2015; Singleman & Holtzman, 2012), microbiome (Burns et al, 2015; Roeselers et al, 2011; Stephens et al, 2015), and lipid stores (Flynn, Trent, & Rawls, 2009; Minchin & Rawls, 2011). Investigating these and other postembryonic processes in zebrafish can lend critical insight into the conserved mechanisms by which postembryonic development occurs in humans.…”