Zebrafish Models of Retinal Disease
Brian A Link1, Ross F Collery1
1Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226; email: blink@mcw.edu , rcollery@mcw.edu.
Annual Review of Vision Science
|May 24, 2017
Summary
Zebrafish serve as a versatile animal model for studying human eye diseases due to their similar eye structure and function. This review highlights their use in researching causes and potential cures for various visual defects.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Visual defects impact global health, quality of life, and incur substantial economic costs.
- Diverse genetic and environmental factors contribute to a wide range of human eye conditions.
- A flexible animal model is crucial for investigating the etiology and therapeutic strategies for blinding diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of zebrafish as a model organism for human ocular diseases.
- To highlight zebrafish's application in understanding genetic and environmental eye conditions.
- To showcase zebrafish research in areas like myopia, glaucoma, and retinitis pigmentosa.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing zebrafish due to their conserved eye structure and function with humans.
- Employing zebrafish for genetic studies of ocular development and disease.
- Leveraging zebrafish to model specific human eye conditions such as glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa.
Main Results:
- Zebrafish eyes share significant structural and functional similarities with human eyes.
- They are instrumental in modeling a spectrum of human eye diseases, including inherited and environmentally induced conditions.
- Research using zebrafish has advanced the understanding of diseases like myopia, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, ciliopathies, albinism, and diabetic retinopathy.
Conclusions:
- Zebrafish are a valuable vertebrate model for studying human visual disorders.
- Their use facilitates research into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying eye diseases.
- This model system holds promise for developing novel therapeutic interventions for blindness-causing conditions.
