FishNet: an online database of zebrafish anatomy.

Robert J Bryson-Richardson,Thomas E Hall,Peter D Currie,Nicholas J Cole,Abigail J Gibson,Thomas F Schilling,James Sharpe,Silke Berger

doi:10.1186/1741-7007-5-34

Abstract

BackgroundOver the last two decades, zebrafish have been established as a genetically versatile model system for investigating many different aspects of vertebrate developmental biology. With the credentials of zebrafish as a developmental model now well recognized, the emerging new opportunity is the wider application of zebrafish biology to aspects of human disease modelling. This rapidly increasing use of zebrafish as a model for human disease has necessarily generated interest in the anatomy of later developmental phases such as the larval, juvenile, and adult stages, during which many of the key aspects of organ morphogenesis and maturation take place. Anatomical resources and references that encompass these stages are non-existent in zebrafish and there is therefore an urgent need to understand how different organ systems and anatomical structures develop throughout the life of the fish.ResultsTo overcome this deficit we have utilized the technique of optical projection tomography to produce three-dimensional (3D) models of larval fish. In order to view and display these models we have created FishNet http://www.fishnet.org.au, an interactive reference of zebrafish anatomy spanning the range of zebrafish development from 24 h until adulthood.ConclusionFishNet contains more than 36 000 images of larval zebrafish, with more than 1 500 of these being annotated. The 3D models can be manipulated on screen or virtually sectioned. This resource represents the first complete embryo to adult atlas for any species in 3D.

Highlights

Over the last two decades, zebrafish have been established as a genetically versatile model system for investigating many different aspects of vertebrate developmental biology
Zebrafish possess a number of attributes that have facilitated their uptake as a developmental model system
Using the optical projection tomography (OPT) method we have developed for zebrafish [19] we generated a series of 3D models charting the development of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, from embryo to adult

Summary

Introduction

Over the last two decades, zebrafish have been established as a genetically versatile model system for investigating many different aspects of vertebrate developmental biology. With the credentials of zebrafish as a developmental model well recognized, the emerging new opportunity is the wider application of zebrafish biology to aspects of human disease modelling. This rapidly increasing use of zebrafish as a model for human disease has necessarily generated interest in the anatomy of later developmental phases such as the larval, juvenile, and adult stages, during which many of the key aspects of organ morphogenesis and maturation take place. Whilst the vascular anatomy of the embryonic fish [10], the anatomy of the embryonic and adult brain [11,12], and heart [13] have been elegantly described, there is a need for a detailed record of zebrafish development that spans the entire life history of the organism and presents its anatomy

Methods

Results

Conclusion