Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences 52900, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
FEBS Lett. 2011 May 20;585(10):1485-94. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.04.007. Epub 2011 Apr 7.
The zebrafish represents a fascinating model for studying key aspects of the vertebrate circadian timing system. Easy access to early embryonic development has made this species ideal for investigating how the clock is first established during embryogenesis. In particular, the molecular basis for the functional development of the zebrafish pineal gland has received much attention. In addition to this dedicated clock and photoreceptor organ, and unlike the situation in mammals, the clocks in zebrafish peripheral tissues and even cell lines are entrainable by direct exposure to light thus providing unique insight into the function and evolution of the light input pathway. Finally, the small size, low maintenance costs and high fecundity of this fish together with the availability of genetic tools make this an attractive model for forward genetic analysis of the circadian clock. Here, we review the work that has established the zebrafish as a valuable clock model organism and highlight the key questions that will shape the future direction of research.
斑马鱼是研究脊椎动物生物钟系统关键方面的迷人模型。早期胚胎发育的便捷获取使这种物种成为研究生物钟在胚胎发生过程中如何首次建立的理想选择。特别是，斑马鱼松果腺的分子基础的功能发育受到了广泛关注。除了这个专门的时钟和光感受器器官外，与哺乳动物的情况不同，斑马鱼外周组织甚至细胞系中的时钟可以通过直接暴露在光线下而被重新调整，从而提供了对光输入途径的功能和进化的独特见解。最后，这种鱼的体型小、维护成本低、繁殖力高，再加上遗传工具的可用性，使其成为生物钟的正向遗传分析的有吸引力的模型。在这里，我们回顾了将斑马鱼确立为有价值的生物钟模式生物的工作，并强调了将塑造未来研究方向的关键问题。
