Myelopoiesis during zebrafish early development

Myelopoiesis is the process of producing all types of myeloid cells including monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes. Myeloid cells are known to manifest a wide spectrum of activities such as immune surveillance and tissue remodeling. Irregularities in myeloid cell development and their function are known to associate with the onset and the progression of a variety of human disorders such as leukemia. In the past decades, extensive studies have been carried out in various model organisms to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying myelopoiesis with the hope that these efforts will yield knowledge translatable into therapies for related diseases. Zebrafish has recently emerged as a prominent animal model for studying myelopoiesis, especially during early embryogenesis, largely owing to its unique properties such as transparent embryonic body and external development. This review introduces the methodologies used in zebrafish research and focuses on the recent research progresses of zebrafish myelopoiesis.