Key Brian, Devine Christine A
Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
Methods Cell Sci. 2003;25(1-2):1-6. doi: 10.1023/B:MICS.0000006849.98007.03.
Zebrafish provide a rapid and effective means for assessing gene function in the vertebrate nervous system. By employing gain- and loss-of-function techniques it is possible to obtain insights into the roles of both wild-type and heterologously expressed genes. Such approaches enable rapid progression from gene discovery to gene expression and finally to gene function even when examining development of a tissue as complex as the nervous system. Exploiting the full potential of zebrafish as a bioassay for the nervous system will require, not only an understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of normal zebrafish development, but also an appreciation of comparative processes in other species. When applied to mutant animals, classic morphological approaches and contemporary molecular genetic techniques are providing a wealth of information on the development of the nervous system at the molecular, cell, system and behavioural levels. Zebrafish are now emerging as an important tool, supporting mouse genetical approaches for understanding neural function in vertebrates.
斑马鱼为评估脊椎动物神经系统中的基因功能提供了一种快速有效的方法。通过运用功能获得和功能缺失技术，有可能深入了解野生型基因和异源表达基因的作用。即使在研究像神经系统这样复杂的组织发育时，这些方法也能使从基因发现到基因表达，最终到基因功能的研究快速推进。要充分发挥斑马鱼作为神经系统生物测定模型的潜力，不仅需要了解正常斑马鱼发育的分子和细胞基础，还需要认识其他物种的比较过程。当应用于突变动物时，经典的形态学方法和当代分子遗传学技术正在分子、细胞、系统和行为水平上提供关于神经系统发育的丰富信息。斑马鱼正逐渐成为一种重要工具，辅助小鼠遗传学方法来理解脊椎动物的神经功能。
