Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a teleost fish widely accepted as a model organism for neuroscientific studies. The adults show common basic vertebrate brain structures, together with similar key neuroanatomical and neurochemical pathways of relevance to human diseases. However, the brain of adult zebrafish possesses, differently from mammals, intense neurogenic activity, which can be correlated with high regenerative properties. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, has multiple roles in the brain, due also to the existence of several biologically active isoforms, that interact with different types of receptors. BDNF is well conserved in the vertebrate evolution, with the primary amino acid sequences of zebrafish and human BDNF being 91% identical. Here, we review the available literature regarding BDNF in the vertebrate brain and the potential involvement of BDNF in telencephalic regeneration after injury, with particular emphasis to the zebrafish. Finally, we highlight the potential of the zebrafish brain as a valuable model to add new insights on future BDNF studies.
Highlights
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a teleost fish and has become an interesting model organism in biomedical research due to its genetic tractability, small size, and easy maintenance and breeding
In the last decade, the zebrafish has been accepted as a model to study the molecular and cellular biology of the vertebrate brain [11,12], and emerged for translational research in various neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions [13,14], such as epilepsy [15,16], Alzheimer’s [17] and Parkinson’s diseases [18], depressive disorders [19], schizophrenia [20], and autism spectrum disorders [21]
Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the neurotrophin family, whose other members are nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin (NT) 3, and NT 4/5
Summary
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a teleost fish and has become an interesting model organism in biomedical research due to its genetic tractability, small size, and easy maintenance and breeding. The same neurotransmitters in both interneuron systems and in long pathways have been described [8], and several areas show homologous functions [9,10] For these reasons, in the last decade, the zebrafish has been accepted as a model to study the molecular and cellular biology of the vertebrate brain [11,12], and emerged for translational research in various neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions [13,14], such as epilepsy [15,16], Alzheimer’s [17] and Parkinson’s diseases [18], depressive disorders [19], schizophrenia [20], and autism spectrum disorders [21]. The DNA-deduced amino acid sequence of the processed mature BDNF in the teleost fish, Xiphophorus maculatum, showed 90% identity with the mouse sequence [42], and the primary amino acid sequences of zebrafish and human BDNF are 91% identical [43,44]
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