Article
Biology
Eva Sheardown, Jose Vicente Torres-Perez, Sofia Anagianni, Scott E. Fraser, Giorgio Vallortigara, Brian Butterworth, Maria Elena Miletto-Petrazzini, Caroline H. Brennan
Summary: The study investigated the ontogeny of numerical cognition in juvenile zebrafish using a group size preference task. The results showed that the fish were able to reliably choose the larger group in discriminations of 1 versus 3, 2 versus 5, and 2 versus 3 conspecifics, but not in 2 versus 4 conspecifics. This suggests that quantity processing in fish may involve an interplay between attentional, cognitive, and memory-related mechanisms, similar to humans and other animals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Karina Palma, Iskra A. Signore, Margarita M. Meynard, Jazmin Ibarra, Lorena Armijo-Weingart, Marcos Cayuleo, Steffen Hartel, Miguel L. Concha
Summary: This study demonstrates that the parapineal organ, while morphologically lost during ontogeny in zebrafish, its cells are integrated into the dorsal habenular nucleus and retain their structural, neurochemical, and connective features. The findings suggest that parapineal cells form an integral part of a neural circuit associated with the left habenula and may play a role as local modulators. This study provides insights into the evolutionary developmental mechanism underlying the presence/absence of the parapineal organ in teleosts and vertebrates.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Verena Behringer, Caroline Deimel, Jeroen M. G. Stevens, Melodie Kreyer, Sean M. Lee, Gottfried Hohmann, Barbara Fruth, Michael Heistermann
Summary: The study on immune ontogeny in the bonobo, a long-lived primate species, reveals that immune development from birth to adulthood is influenced by age, sex, and developmental environment. Urinary neopterin levels, a marker for cell-mediated immune response, decline with age and show sex-specific patterns. Environmental conditions do not affect neopterin levels, suggesting a genetically determined pattern of cell-mediated immune ontogeny in bonobos.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tao Kang, Shengyou Zhao, Lina Shi, Jianzhen Li
Summary: The study reveals the significant role of glucose in oocyte maturation in zebrafish, suggesting its importance in inducing oocyte maturation in vitro. Glucose transport and metabolic pathways play crucial roles in this process, with the pentose phosphate pathway identified as essential for oocyte maturation.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Qiuxia Zhou, Changlong Zhao, Zhiyong Yang, Rui Qu, Yunbo Li, Yining Fan, Jinlin Tang, Ting Xie, Zilong Wen
Summary: We used single-cell RNA sequencing to comprehensively profile the heterogeneity of tissue-resident macrophages (TRMs) and dendritic cells (DCs) in adult zebrafish organs. We identified two subtypes of macrophages with different functions in barrier tissues, liver, and heart, as well as conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in these organs. In the brain, we also found a unique population of macrophages/microglia with potent phagocytosis capacity, a population of pDCs, and two distinct populations of cDCs. This study provides valuable insights into the landscape of TRMs and DCs in zebrafish and offers tools for further research.
Article
Biology
Yann Roussel, Stephanie F. Gaudreau, Emily R. Kacer, Mohini Sengupta, Tuan Bui
Summary: This study builds models of developing zebrafish spinal circuits and simulates the underlying mechanisms of swimming movements. The simulations reveal the relationships between neuronal firing patterns and developmental stages, highlighting some key features of zebrafish locomotion.
Article
Cell Biology
Shuang Wu, Kai Chen, Tao Xu, Ke Ma, Lei Gao, Cong Fu, Wenjuan Zhang, Changbin Jing, Chunguang Ren, Min Deng, Yi Chen, Yi Zhou, Weijun Pan, Xiaoe Jia
Summary: This study identified a novel zebrafish mutant (cas7) with erythroid maturation deficiency, caused by a single base mutation in the tprb gene. The findings suggest that Tpr plays vital roles in chromatin condensation and gene regulation during erythroid maturation in vertebrates.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhikai Liu, Martha W. Bagnall
Summary: Posture is vital for locomotor function, and studying zebrafish can provide new insights into the organization and function of neural circuits underlying postural control.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shengchi Shi, Tingting Shu, Xi Li, Qiyong Lou, Xia Jin, Jiangyan He, Zhan Yin, Gang Zhai
Summary: The roles of Cyp17a2 in fish, particularly in sexual traits development and HPI axis, are poorly understood. We generated and analyzed cyp17a2-null zebrafish to investigate its functions. Our findings demonstrate that Cyp17a2 is essential for the synthesis and physiology of cortisol, and its deficiency results in altered hormone levels and over-activated oocytes.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dechamma Pandyanda Nanjappa, Hanna De Saffel, Krithika Kalladka, Srividya Arjuna, Nishith Babu, Kishan Prasad, Patrick Sips, Anirban Chakraborty
Summary: Poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN) is a crucial 3'-5' exonuclease involved in various biological processes, including mRNA deadenylation. Recent studies have revealed that PARN also plays important roles in telomere biology, non-coding RNA maturation, miRNA trimming, and ribosome biogenesis. Furthermore, PARN expression is dysregulated in many cancers, such as solid tumors and hematopoietic malignancies. Using a zebrafish model, researchers found that the loss of PARN function led to the development of only male zebrafish, highlighting its involvement in oogenesis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chenyan Hu, Mengyuan Liu, Lizhu Tang, Baili Sun, Zileng Huang, Lianguo Chen
Summary: The study investigated the interactive effects between probiotic bacteria and the aquatic pollutant PFBS on zebrafish reproduction. It found that probiotic supplementation mitigated the negative impacts of PFBS on egg production by promoting oocyte growth and modulating hormonal signals. Overall, the study provided mechanistic evidence of how probiotics can influence the reproductive outcomes in the presence of environmental pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karem N. Vazquez Roman, Warren W. Burggren
Summary: The morphological effects of crude oil exposure on early fish development have been well-studied, but the metabolic effects and critical windows of exposure remain unclear. This study found that zebrafish exposed to crude oil showed increased routine oxygen consumption and critical oxygen tension, depending on the day of exposure. The most significant effects on body mass and oxygen consumption occurred when exposure happened at around 3 days post-fertilization, which aligns with the vulnerable period of hatching in zebrafish development.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Larisa B. Kravchenko, Konstantin A. Rogovin
Summary: The study revealed differences in the seasonal variation of adaptive humoral immunity between the northern red-backed vole and gray-sided vole in Western Siberia. Both species showed higher immune responses in winter, with spring immunosuppression being more severe in the gray-sided vole. Negative correlations within year of immune responsiveness with body mass and reproductive organ mass indicated a trade-off between AHI and growth and reproduction processes in the gray-sided vole.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Emmanouil Tsakoumis, Ehsan Pashay Ahi, Monika Schmitz
Summary: This study investigates the role of leptin in the regulation of reproduction in zebrafish. The results demonstrate that leptin is essential for oocyte maturation and ovulation in zebrafish, and deficiency of leptin leads to severe reproductive deficiencies in female zebrafish.
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shaojuan Guo, Bolun Kang, Ruihong Wang, Lixin Yang
Summary: Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that affects visual abilities and causes damage to retinal cells. Exposure to methylmercury in zebrafish embryos resulted in abnormal expression of complement component genes and increased apoptosis in the retina. These effects were specific to methylmercury exposure, as compared to cadmium and arsenic.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)