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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
High-fat Feeding Paradigm for Larval Zebrafish: Feeding, Live Imaging, and Quantification of Food Intake
Published on: October 27, 2016
Zebrafish Models for Dyslipidemia and Atherosclerosis Research
1University of Utah Molecular Medicine Program, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Zebrafish rapidly develop hypercholesterolemia, mimicking human lipid disorders. This emerging model offers new avenues for studying atherosclerosis and validating therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Elevated circulating lipids are a primary driver of atherosclerosis, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Despite advancements, significant unmet needs persist in managing this pandemic illness.
Approach:
- This review examines discoveries in the zebrafish model for studying dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.
- It highlights the zebrafish's technical and physiological advantages for target discovery and validation.
- Recent findings on zebrafish lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis development are summarized.
Key Points:
- Zebrafish possess a CETP ortholog and are sensitive to dietary cholesterol, rapidly developing hypercholesterolemia.
- Lipid profiles in zebrafish lipoproteins resemble those in humans.
- Larval zebrafish's optical transparency enables in vivo monitoring of lipid dynamics and atherosclerotic plaque development.
Conclusions:
- The zebrafish model demonstrates significant potential for advancing our understanding of dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.
- Its utility extends to the pharmacological validation of novel therapeutic targets.
- Future research can leverage this model for in vivo cell biological studies of atherosclerotic plaques.
