Transgenic zebrafish expressing fluorescent proteins in central nervous system neurons

Dev Growth Differ. 2008 Aug;50(6):407-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-169X.2008.01023.x. Epub 2008 Apr 28.

Abstract

Zebrafish is a powerful model system for investigations of vertebrate neural development. The animal has also become an important model for studies of neuronal function. Both in developmental and functional studies, transgenic zebrafish expressing fluorescent proteins in central nervous system neurons have been playing important roles. We review here the methods for producing transgenic zebrafish. Recent advances in transposon- or bacterial artificial chromosome-based transgenesis greatly facilitate the creation of useful lines. We also present our study on alx-positive neurons to reveal how transgenic zebrafish expressing fluorescent proteins in a specific class of neurons can be used to investigate their development and function.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified*
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism*
  • Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Genetic Techniques
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / pharmacology
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Genetic
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Transgenes
  • Zebrafish / genetics*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • fluorescent protein 583
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins