Zebrafish: A Promising Real-Time Model System for Nanotechnology-Mediated Neurospecific Drug Delivery

Delivering drugs to the brain has always remained a challenge for the research community and physicians. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) acts as a major hurdle for delivering drugs to specific parts of the brain and the central nervous system. It is physiologically comprised of complex network of capillaries to protect the brain from any invasive agents or foreign particles. Therefore, there is an absolute need for understanding of the BBB for successful therapeutic interventions. Recent research indicates the strong emergence of zebrafish as a model for assessing the permeability of the BBB, which is highly conserved in its structure and function between the zebrafish and mammals. The zebrafish model system offers a plethora of advantages including easy maintenance, high fecundity and transparency of embryos and larvae. Therefore, it has the potential to be developed as a model for analysing and elucidating the permeability of BBB to novel permeation technologies with neurospecificity. Nanotechnology has now become a focus area within the industrial and research community for delivering drugs to the brain. Nanoparticles are being developed with increased efficiency and accuracy for overcoming the BBB and delivering neurospecific drugs to the brain. The zebrafish stands as an excellent model system to assess nanoparticle biocompatibility and toxicity. Hence, the zebrafish model is indispensable for the discovery or development of novel technologies for neurospecific drug delivery and potential therapies for brain diseases.