Macrophage Lab, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Endemic Disease, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Gangwon, Republic of Korea.
Zebrafish. 2024 Feb;21(1):53-66. doi: 10.1089/zeb.2023.0086.
Since its introduction as a model organism in the 1980s, the use of zebrafish () in research has expanded worldwide. Despite its now widespread use in research, guidelines to safeguard the ethical treatment of zebrafish, particularly with regard to euthanasia and humane endpoint practices, remain inadequate. One well-recognized example is the use of excess tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) as a means to euthanize zebrafish, regardless of life stage. In this study, through nationwide expert elicitation, we provide a detailed account of zebrafish research practices within the Republic of Korea and the challenges of implementing appropriate methods for euthanasia as a humane endpoint, with many opting for hypothermic shock. We report a local expert consensus for establishing national guidelines to improve zebrafish welfare and good research practice. Suggestions and recommendations for national guidelines were offered. Taken together, our findings raise awareness broadly among zebrafish research practitioners in the field, offer an accurate account of the welfare and treatment of zebrafish in research within the Republic of Korea, and advocate for the development and implementation of national guidelines. As such, our study is useful as a model to adopt the expert elicitation approach to investigate, quantify, and address welfare concerns in zebrafish research, and to establish best practice guidelines.
自 20 世纪 80 年代被引入模式生物以来，斑马鱼（）在全球范围内的研究中得到了广泛应用。尽管它现在在研究中被广泛应用，但保护斑马鱼伦理待遇的指导方针，特别是关于安乐死和人道终点实践的指导方针仍然不足。一个众所周知的例子是使用过量的三卡因甲烷磺酸盐（MS-222）作为一种使斑马鱼安乐死的手段，而不管其生命阶段如何。在这项研究中，我们通过全国性的专家启发式调查，详细描述了韩国的斑马鱼研究实践以及实施适当安乐死方法作为人道终点的挑战，许多人选择低温休克。我们报告了建立国家指南以改善斑马鱼福利和良好研究实践的当地专家共识。为国家指南提供了建议和建议。总之，我们的研究结果在广泛的斑马鱼研究从业者中引起了关注，准确描述了韩国研究中斑马鱼的福利和待遇，并倡导制定和实施国家指南。因此，我们的研究为采用专家启发式方法调查、量化和解决斑马鱼研究中的福利问题以及制定最佳实践指南提供了有用的模型。
