Wild-Type Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae as a Vertebrate Model for Diabetes and Comorbidities: A Review

Abstract

Zebrafish have become a popular alternative to higher animals in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. The development of stable mutant lines to model target specific aspects of many diseases, including diabetes, is well reported. However, these mutant lines are much more costly and challenging to maintain than wild-type zebrafish and are simply not an option for many research facilities. As an alternative to address the disadvantages of advanced mutant lines, wild-type larvae may represent a suitable option. In this review, we evaluate organ development in zebrafish larvae and discuss established methods that use wild-type zebrafish larvae up to seven days post fertilization to test for potential drug candidates for diabetes and its commonly associated conditions of oxidative stress and inflammation. This provides an up to date overview of the relevance of wild-type zebrafish larvae as a vertebrate antidiabetic model and confidence as an alternative tool for preclinical studies. We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of established methods and suggest recommendations for future developments to promote the use of zebrafish, specifically larvae, rather than higher animals in the early phase of antidiabetic drug discovery.

Advances in Zebrafish for Diabetes Mellitus with Wound Model

“…Since genetic engineering technology has developed rapidly, especially in CRISPR-Case9 (efficient multiple gene targeting, zebrafish mutant strain breeding, etc. ), it has been possible to produce all kinds of simple alternative cell spontaneous fluorescence zebrafish varieties (with fluorescent markers of neutrophils and macrophages of transgenic zebrafish, and the development of reporter cell lines that tag specific tissues, including epithelial tissues) [ 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 ], as well as other manipulation techniques, such as mRNA injection and morpholine injection [ 88 ], and their intact immune systems. Moreover, it is convenient to obtain specific mutant zebrafish such as the rag1 −/− mutant zebrafish, which is the only animal model that can be used for the study of T-cell and B-cell immune response defects [ 40 ]; The glucose metabolism of adult zebrafish and its development during embryonic development are closely related to that of humans and other mammals.…”

Advancing Diabetic Retinopathy Research: Analysis of the Neurovascular Unit in Zebrafish

“…This can easily be used to evaluate the efficacy of an antiangiogenic drug. However, screening for antiangiogenic agents does not necessarily require a model associated with hyperglycaemia [63]. The physiological development of the hyaloid vessels can also be disrupted by anti-angiogenic agents, and this disruption can be observed in vivo in a matter of days.…”