The Zebrafish (Danio rerio. Zf) is a small tropical fish that has been used widely as a model species in biomedical science, due to a ‘unique’ combination of attributes: a rapid life cycle and development; optically transparent development and organogenesis; small size (enables microplate-based in vivo assay format); similarity to mammalian physiology and development of some organ systems; high adult fecundity (allows multiple sibling testing to lower variability and easy test subject supply) and easy genetic manipulation.
The zebrafish team at Brixham Environmental Laboratory is using the unique attributes of the zebrafish and applying them to R&D-related applications. Key publications are below:
Winter MJ, Redfern WS, Hayfield AJ, Owen SF, Valentin JP, Hutchinson TH. 2008. Validation of a larval zebrafish locomotor assay for assessing the seizure liability of early-stage development drugs. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, 57(3):176-87.
Redfern WS, Waldron G, Winter MJ, Butler P, Holbrook M, Wallis R, Valentin JP. 2008. Zebrafish assays as early safety pharmacology screens: Paradigm shift or red herring? Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, 58: 110-117
Richards FM, Alderton WK, Kimber GM, Liu Z, Strang I, Redfern WS, Valentin JP, Winter MJ, Hutchinson TH. 2008. Validation of the use of zebrafish larvae in visual safety assessment. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, 58: 50–58
