Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Healthy Brain-pituitary Slices for Electrophysiological Investigations of Pituitary Cells in Teleost Fish
Published on: August 16, 2018
Loss-of-function mutations in the melanocortin-2-receptor (mc2r) lead to skin hyperpigmentation in teleost fish
Elisa Barreiro-Docío1, Laura Guerrero-Peña1, Priyanka Soni1,2
1Aquatic Biotechnology Lab, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Galicia, Spain.
Abstract:
Melanocortins regulate pigmentation via melanocortin receptors (MCRs), which are highly conserved across vertebrates. Unlike other MCRs, the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) is exclusively activated by ACTH; however, its role in pigmentation remains unclear. Using CRISPR/Cas9-generated mc2r knockout zebrafish, we demonstrated that the loss of mc2r in zebrafish results in impaired interrenal steroidogenesis and pronounced hyperpigmentation characterized by an increased number of melanophores and xanthophores while preserving normal patterning. Transcriptomic analyses revealed the upregulation of genes involved in melanosome formation, melanin synthesis, lipid metabolism, and carotenoid accumulation. These findings demonstrate that, in addition to controlling steroidogenesis, mc2r plays a key role in pigment cell development and metabolic regulation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Mutations
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of β-Ketoacids
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Osmoregulation in Fishes
Viral Mutations
Sensory Functions of the Skin
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...

