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Zebrafish Larvae Behavior Models as a Tool for Drug Screenings and Pre-Clinical Trials: A Review

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Author(s):
Santos Rosa, Joao Gabriel ; Lima, Carla ; Lopes-Ferreira, Monica
Total Authors: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES; v. 23, n. 12, p. 12-pg., 2022-06-01.
Abstract

To discover new molecules or review the biological activity and toxicity of therapeutic substances, drug development, and research relies on robust biological systems to obtain reliable results. Phenotype-based screenings can transpose the organism's compensatory pathways by adopting multi-target strategies for treating complex diseases, and zebrafish emerged as an important model for biomedical research and drug screenings. Zebrafish's clear correlation between neuro-anatomical and physiological features and behavior is very similar to that verified in mammals, enabling the construction of reliable and relevant experimental models for neurological disorders research. Zebrafish presents highly conserved physiological pathways that are found in higher vertebrates, including mammals, along with a robust behavioral repertoire. Moreover, it is very sensitive to pharmacological/environmental manipulations, and these behavioral phenotypes are detected in both larvae and adults. These advantages align with the 3Rs concept and qualify the zebrafish as a powerful tool for drug screenings and pre-clinical trials. This review highlights important behavioral domains studied in zebrafish larvae and their neurotransmitter systems and summarizes currently used techniques to evaluate and quantify zebrafish larvae behavior in laboratory studies. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 21/08891-8 - Assessment of the pharmacological mechanisms of the peptide TnP isolated from Thalassophryne nattereri venom in the therapy of Hypoxic Retinopathy in Zebrafish
Grantee:João Gabriel dos Santos da Rosa
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 13/07467-1 - CeTICS - Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling
Grantee:Hugo Aguirre Armelin
Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC