Journal Article

Zebrafish: A Model System to Study Heritable Skin Diseases

Thisse, Christine I., Thisse, Bernard V., Li, Qiaoli, Frank, Michael, Uitto, Jouni

2011

Overview

Heritable skin diseases represent a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations due to mutations in ∼500 different genes. A number of model systems have been developed to advance our understanding of the pathomechanisms of genodermatoses. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater vertebrate, has a well-characterized genome, the expression of which can be easily manipulated. The larvae develop rapidly, with all major organs having developed by 5–6 days post-fertilization, including the skin, consisting of the epidermis comprising two cell layers and separated from the dermal collagenous matrix by a basement membrane. This perspective highlights the morphological and ultrastructural features of zebrafish skin, in the context of cutaneous gene expression. These observations suggest that zebrafish provide a useful model system to study the molecular aspects of skin development, as well as the pathogenesis and treatment of select heritable skin diseases.

• Publisher: Elsevier Inc,Nature Publishing Group,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Animals / Biological and medical sciences / Cell Membrane - metabolism / Cell Membrane - ultrastructure / Danio rerio / Dermatology / Epidermal Cells / Epidermis - metabolism / Epidermis - ultrastructure / Freshwater / Gene Expression Profiling / Gene Expression Regulation / Medical sciences / Mice / Models, Animal / Skin Diseases - genetics / Skin Diseases - metabolism / Zebrafish