Zebrafish as a New Perspective Model in Translational Neurobiology
Danio rerio (zebrafish) is a relatively new model subject that is widely used in biomedicine, including studies of the central nervous system (CNS) and searching for new therapeutical agents. The number of studies dedicated to the zebrafish neurobiology is rapidly increasing, and this growth surpasses in relative numbers all other model organisms in the biomedical field. The popularity of this model is ensured by the relative ease of use, thoroughly studied physiology, high genetic homology with humans, fast development, and low cost of the studies. Here, we discuss the current role of zebrafish in the field of translational neuroscience, and their potential use in combination with the recent biological techniques. Despite the fact that the screening and description of the effects of known psychoactive compounds on zebrafish becomes actively adopted for practical use (in Russia as well), the studies of brain diseases on this model remain limited. We outline the importance of the studies of CNS pathogenesis in the zebrafish due to its high potential as a study subject that is evolutionally conservative and relatively easy to use, which can facilitate the identification of the main biomarkers of the heterogenous brain diseases.