Ionic basis of cardiac electrophysiology in zebrafish compared to human hearts.

Zebrafish heart has evolved as an intensely studied model for cardiac development, physiology and pathophysiology. A particular advantage is its morphological and functional similarity to mammalian, especially human heart. Zebrafish are simple to breed, uncomplicated to handle and easy to modify genetically. Because of the transparency of the early embryo, drug effects on heart rate and rhythm can be observed directly. Here we will compare the ionic basis of the electrophysiological properties of the zebrafish to those of other mammalian hearts and discuss the suitability of zebrafish as a model organism for human electrophysiology.