Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Published on: May 3, 2014

Disrupted Copper Homeostasis and Impaired Retinal Development Caused by slc6a4a Deficiency in Zebrafish.

Hameed Ullah Baloch¹, Yuan-Yuan Jing¹, Jia-Hao Shi¹

¹Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, College of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI

|July 15, 2026

Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Resequencing of 284 genomes reveals evolutionary history and hotspot of genetic diversity of the giant bamboos.

Plant diversity·2026

Same author

Copper and cuproptosis: mechanisms, biology, and roles in disease.

Science bulletin·2026

Same author

Essential oils promote antibacterial and antiviral defense across species.

Fish & shellfish immunology·2026

Same author

Phylogeny of <i>Vietnamosasa</i> (Poaceae, Bambusoideae) based on syntenic nuclear genes with description of a new species.

PhytoKeys·2026

Same author

Pmpcb modulates zebrafish neurogenesis and stress resistance via regulating mitochondria metabolism and function.

Molecular neurobiology·2026

Same author

Nap1L4a Cooperates with Scl/Klf1 to Recruit H2A.Z in Mediating Interactions Among Cis-Regulatory Elements and Transcription Required for Primitive Erythropoiesis in Zebrafish.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2025

Serotonin transporter Slc6a4a deficiency causes copper overload and retinal defects in zebrafish. Copper chelation therapy may help mitigate these Slc6a4a-related issues.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Genetics
Developmental Biology

Background:

Serotonin transporter (Slc6a4a) is crucial for serotonin reuptake, influencing stress responses.
Its role in copper homeostasis and organogenesis remains largely unexplored in vivo.
Zebrafish models offer a unique system for studying vertebrate development and genetic mutations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the function of serotonin transporter Slc6a4a in copper homeostasis and retinal development.
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms linking Slc6a4a deficiency to developmental defects.
To explore potential therapeutic strategies for Slc6a4a-related disorders.

Main Methods:

Generated and analyzed zebrafish mutants deficient in Slc6a4a (slc6a4a-/-).

Keywords:

Atp7b copper homeostasis retinal development slc6a4a tetrathiomolybdate

More Related Videos

A Novel Light Damage Paradigm for Use in Retinal Regeneration Studies in Adult Zebrafish

A Novel Light Damage Paradigm for Use in Retinal Regeneration Studies in Adult Zebrafish

Published on: October 24, 2013

Lens Transplantation in Zebrafish and its Application in the Analysis of Eye Mutants

Lens Transplantation in Zebrafish and its Application in the Analysis of Eye Mutants

Published on: June 1, 2009

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Published on: May 3, 2014

A Novel Light Damage Paradigm for Use in Retinal Regeneration Studies in Adult Zebrafish

A Novel Light Damage Paradigm for Use in Retinal Regeneration Studies in Adult Zebrafish

Published on: October 24, 2013

Lens Transplantation in Zebrafish and its Application in the Analysis of Eye Mutants

Lens Transplantation in Zebrafish and its Application in the Analysis of Eye Mutants

Published on: June 1, 2009

Assessed copper levels, retinal development, and locomotor function.

Investigated the expression of copper transporter Atp7b and cellular stress markers (ROS, ER stress).

Utilized copper chelation (TTM) and mRNA rescue experiments.

Main Results:

Slc6a4a deficiency led to copper accumulation, retinal defects, and locomotor dysfunction in zebrafish.
Reduced Atp7b expression was associated with copper overload, ER stress, and apoptosis.
Copper chelation with TTM and Atp7b mRNA partially rescued retinal defects.
Identified a mechanistic link between Slc6a4a, Atp7b, copper homeostasis, and retinal development.

Conclusions:

Serotonin transporter Slc6a4a is a novel regulator of copper homeostasis and retinal development.
Slc6a4a influences retinal integrity through the regulation of Atp7b.
Copper chelation presents a potential therapeutic avenue for Slc6a4a deficiency-related conditions.