1) Zebrafish Egg Collection
<ol>
	<li>On the afternoon prior to the day of the chemical screen, set up 10 to 20 zebrafish breeding tanks. Fill each tank with water from the aquaculture system. Using a fish net, transfer one adult male and one to two adult females to inner container in each breeding tank. Separate the male and female fish from each other with a divider. Label the cages and put a lid over them.</li>
	<li>On the morning of the screen, remove the dividers from breeding tanks and allow zebrafish to mate. Over the course of next 1 hour, allow fertilized eggs to fall through grid at the bottom of each inner container.</li>
	<li>After 1 hour, return adult zebrafish back to permanent storage tanks, remove the inner container and collect the eggs by straining the water in each breeding tank through a plastic tea strainer. </li>
	<li>Invert the strainer over a Petri dish and rinse the strainer gently to flush the eggs into the Petri dish by using a wash bottle containing the E3 medium. </li>
	<li>All unfertilized eggs, which appear opaque, should be removed using a disposable plastic pipette. Each mating cross should yield approximately 200 embryos.</li>
</ol>
2) Arraying Embryos in 96-well Plates
<ol>
	<li>Transfer about 5 embryos in E3 medium into each well of a 96-well plate by using a glass Pasteur pipette.</li>
	<li> Once embryos are arrayed onto the 96-well plate, remove as much of the E3 medium as possible out of the wells using a 12-channel (30 - 300 &mu;L) pipette, taking care not to puncture the embryo. Using the 12-channel pipette, deliver 250 &mu;L of E3 medium containing 0.5&mu;g/ml kanamycin to each well as quickly as possible so as not to allow embryos to dry up.</li>
	<li> Put the 96-well plates into 28.5&deg;C incubator until they reach the desired stage when the compounds to be added.</li>
</ol>
3) Transfer of Small Molecule Library
While compound transfer can be automated with robotic transfer methods, we will describe the manual transfer method.
<ol>
	<li>Small molecule libraries are typically supplied in a 96-well format, with each compound stored in DMSO as a 10 mM stock. About 60 minutes before the embryos reach the stage when the compounds are to be added, thaw a desired number of 96-well plates containing aliquots of small molecules (source plate). Take note of the serial or other identification number of the source plates. To minimize condensation on the plates, thawing can occur in a desiccation chamber containing Drierite (W.A. HAMMOND DRIERITE CO, Xenia, OH).</li>
	<li>Briefly spin down the plates in a tabletop centrifuge equipped with multi-well plate adaptor.</li>
	<li>Remove the aluminum sealing tape from source plate. Using a 12-channel pipette, dilute the compounds in the source plate to the concentration of 0.5 mM (for example, if starting with 250 nL aliquots of 10mM stock, add 4.75 &mu;L of DMSO to each well). </li>
	<li>When the embryos in the 96-well plate (recipient plate) reach the desired stage, use a 12-channel (2-20 &mu;L) pipette to transfer 2.5&mu;L of compounds (0.5mM) from the source plates into the recipient plates containing the embryos.</li>
	<li>Record the identification number of the source plates on the recipient embryo plates. Cover the recipient plates now containing the embryos and compounds with lids, gently mix the plates by gently swirling, and place them in a 28.5&deg;C incubator.</li>
	<li>Cover each source plate containing unused small molecules (0.5 mM) with an aluminum sealing tape and place in a -80&deg;C freezer for long-term storage.</li>
</ol>
4) Screening for Effects of Small Molecules by Visual Inspection of Phenotypes
<ol>
	<li>Prior to performing the screen, formulate a specific criterion for what would constitute a "hit".</li>
	<li>At desired times in development, remove the 96-well plates containing compound-treated embryos from incubator and examine each well under a stereomicroscope. For better visualization of subtle changes, such as changes in circulatory pattern, a phase-contrast inverted microscope can be used. Fluorescent microscopy can be used to examine perturbation of expression of GFP or DsRed proteins under a tissue-specific promoter.</li>
	<li>Quickly scan the 96-well plates for any well in which at least 3 out of 5 embryos exhibit the prescribed "hit" phenotype. Record the identity of the plate and the well location of each potential hit. </li>
	<li>Reconfirm a potential hit by retesting the effects of the compound at several doses (1 uM, 5 uM, 10 &mu;M and 50 &mu;M). For each dose, 10 embryos are tested in 0.5 mL of E3 media in a 48-well plate format. The timing of compound addition for retesting should be identical to that of the original screening. A hit is confirmed when the elicited phenotype is reproduced on retesting of the compound</li>
	<li>Identify the hit compound from the database of small molecules in the chemical library.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Bayliss, P. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chemical+modulation+of+receptor+signaling+inhibits+regenerative+angiogenesis+in+adult+zebrafish.">Chemical modulation of receptor signaling inhibits regenerative angiogenesis in adult zebrafish.</a> Nature chemical biology. 2, 265-273 (2006).</li><li>Burns, C. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-throughput+assay+for+small+molecules+that+modulate+zebrafish+embryonic+heart+rate.">High-throughput assay for small molecules that modulate zebrafish embryonic heart rate.</a> Nature chemical biology. 1, 263-264 (2005).</li><li>Hao, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+structure-activity+relationship+study+of+dorsomorphin+analogues+identifies+selective+VEGF+and+BMP+inhibitors.">In vivo structure-activity relationship study of dorsomorphin analogues identifies selective VEGF and BMP inhibitors.</a> ACS chemical biology. 5, 245-253 (2010).</li><li>Hong, C. C., Peterson, Q. P., Hong, J. Y., Peterson, R. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Artery/vein+specification+is+governed+by+opposing+phosphatidylinositol-3+kinase+and+MAP+kinase/ERK+signaling.">Artery/vein specification is governed by opposing phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and MAP kinase/ERK signaling.</a> Curr Biol. 16, 1366-1372 (2006).</li><li>Milan, D. J., Peterson, T. A., Ruskin, J. N., Peterson, R. T., MacRae, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drugs+that+induce+repolarization+abnormalities+cause+bradycardia+in+zebrafish.">Drugs that induce repolarization abnormalities cause bradycardia in zebrafish.</a> Circulation. 107, 1355-1358 (2003).</li><li>Peterson, R. T., Link, B. A., Dowling, J. E., Schreiber, S. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Small+molecule+developmental+screens+reveal+the+logic+and+timing+of+vertebrate+development.">Small molecule developmental screens reveal the logic and timing of vertebrate development.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 97, 12965-12969 (2000).</li><li>Yu, P. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dorsomorphin+inhibits+BMP+signals+required+for+embryogenesis+and+iron+metabolism.">Dorsomorphin inhibits BMP signals required for embryogenesis and iron metabolism.</a> Nature chemical biology. 4, 33-41 (2008).</li><li>Zon, L. I., Peterson, R. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+drug+discovery+in+the+zebrafish.">In vivo drug discovery in the zebrafish.</a> Nature reviews. 4, 35-44 (2005).</li><li>Stern, H. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Small+molecules+that+delay+S+phase+suppress+a+zebrafish+bmyb+mutant.">Small molecules that delay S phase suppress a zebrafish bmyb mutant.</a> Nature chemical biology. 1, 366-370 (2005).</li><li>Peterson, R. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chemical+suppression+of+a+genetic+mutation+in+a+zebrafish+model+of+aortic+coarctation.">Chemical suppression of a genetic mutation in a zebrafish model of aortic coarctation.</a> Nature biotechnology. 22, 595-599 (2004).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

When planning a zebrafish-based chemical screen, particular attention must be paid to the robustness of the phenotype under consideration and the background rate of such phenotype. This is particularly important for screens for chemical suppressors of an induced phenotype. For example, for a phenotype caused by heat-shock induction of a transgene, the condition that induces the phenotype reproducibly must be precisely mapped out prior to initiating the screen to avoid unacceptably high false positive rates. With careful planning, zebrafish chemical screens, which require modest capital investment, can lead to the discovery of novel modulator of cell signaling and physiology, as well as lead compound to reverse models of human diseases. Lastly, by analogy to the classic forward genetic screens, zebrafish-based chemical screens can be valuable for chemical genetic dissection of fundamental biological process.

<ol>
	<li>Minimum of 20 pairs of adult zebrafish of desired genotype.</li>
	<li>Fish nets, Breeding tanks, with removable inner container and dividers (Aquatic Habitats).</li>
	<li>Petri dishes (10 cm).</li>
	<li>Plastic tea strainer.</li>
	<li>Wash bottle containg embryo water.</li>
	<li>Disposable polyethylene transfer pipettes.</li>
	<li>Polystyrene 96-well round-bottom assay plates (Corning COSTAR; Lowell, MA).</li>
	<li>Glass Pasteur pipette (Fisher Scientific).</li>
	<li>Manual pipette pump, 10 mL (Bel-Art Products, Pequannock, NJ).</li>
	<li>E3 embryo medium: 5 mM NaCl, 0.17 mM KCl, 0.33 mM CaCl2 , 0.33 mM MgSO4 , containing 0.003% PTU (phenylthio-carbamide, Sigma; St. Louis, MO). PTU can be prepared as a 10x solution by dissolving 0.3-g PTU in 1 L of E3 embryo media. Solutions containing PTU should be protected from light by covering with aluminum foil.</li>
	<li>12-channel pipettes, 2-20 &mu;L (Eppendorf).</li>
	<li>12-channel pipettes, 3-300 &mu;L (Eppendorf).</li>
	<li>Disposable polystyrene pipette basin, 50 mL (Fisher Scientific).</li>
	<li>Small molecule library of structurally diverse compounds arrayed in a 96-wll format at 10 mM stock in DMSO. Each master plate is aliquoted into 96-well polypropylene storage plates (Corning), and stored at -80&deg;C until use.</li>
	<li>Aluminum sealing tape for 96-well plates (Nunc, Rochester, NY).</li>
	<li>DMSO (Sigma, St. Louis, MO).</li>
	<li>Basic incubator, 28.5&deg;C (Fisher Scientific).</li>
	<li>Stereomicroscope with transmitted light base (Leica Microsystems, Bannockburn, IL).</li>
</ol>

large scale zebrafish-based in vivo small molecule screen

Given their small embryo size, rapid development, transparency, fecundity, and numerous molecular, morphological and physiological similarities to mammals, zebrafish has emerged as a powerful in vivo platform for phenotype-based drug screens and chemical genetic analysis. Here, we demonstrate a simple, practical method for large-scale screening of small molecules using zebrafish embryos.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Large Scale Zebrafish-Based In vivo Small Molecule Screen at JoVE.com

Large Scale Zebrafish-Based In vivo Small Molecule Screen

Zebrafish has emerged as a powerful in vivo platform for phenotype-based drug screens and chemical genetic analysis. Here, we demonstrate a simple, practical method for large-scale screening of small molecules using zebrafish embryos.

Large Scale Zebrafish-Based In vivo Small Molecule Screen

Given their small embryo size, rapid development, transparency, fecundity, and numerous molecular, morphological and physiological similarities to ...

large-scale-zebrafish-based-in-vivo-small-molecule-screen

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

13.4K Views.  Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Zebrafish has emerged as a powerful in vivo platform for phenotype-based drug screens and chemical genetic analysis. Here, we demonstrate a simple, practical method for large-scale screening of small molecules using zebrafish embryos.

Video: Large Scale Zebrafish-Based In vivo Small Molecule Screen

Microbead Implantation in the Zebrafish Embryo

The zebrafish has emerged as a valuable genetic model system for the study of developmental biology and disease. Zebrafish share a high degree of genomic conservation, as well as similarities in cellular, molecular, and physiological processes, with other vertebrates including humans. During early ontogeny, zebrafish embryos are optically transparent, allowing researchers to visualize the dynamics of organogenesis using a simple stereomicroscope. Microbead implantation is a method that enables tissue manipulation through the alteration of factors in local environments. This allows researchers to assay the effects of any number of signaling molecules of interest, such as secreted peptides, at specific spatial and temporal points within the developing embryo. Here, we detail a protocol for how to manipulate and implant beads during early zebrafish development.

The zebrafish is an excellent model system for genetic and developmental studies. Bead implantation is a valuable tissue manipulation technique that can be used to interrogate developmental mechanisms by introducing alterations in local cellular environments. This protocol describes how to perform microbead implantation in the zebrafish embryo.

The zebrafish has emerged as a valuable genetic model system for the study of developmental biology and disease. Zebrafish share a high degree of genomic ...

Developmental Biology

Facilitating Drug Discovery: An Automated High-content Inflammation Assay in Zebrafish

Zebrafish larvae are particularly amenable to whole animal small molecule screens1,2 due to their small size and relative ease of manipulation and observation, as well as the fact that compounds can simply be added to the bathing water and are readily absorbed when administered in a &lt;1% DMSO solution. Due to the optical clarity of zebrafish larvae and the availability of transgenic lines expressing fluorescent proteins in leukocytes, zebrafish offer the unique advantage of monitoring an acute inflammatory response in vivo. Consequently, utilizing the zebrafish for high-content small molecule screens aiming at the identification of immune-modulatory compounds with high throughput has been proposed3-6, suggesting inflammation induction scenarios e.g. localized nicks in fin tissue, laser damage directed to the yolk surface of embryos7 or tailfin amputation3,5,6. The major drawback of these methods however was the requirement of manual larva manipulation to induce wounding, thus preventing high-throughput screening. Introduction of the chemically induced inflammation (ChIn) assay8 eliminated these obstacles. Since wounding is inflicted chemically the number of embryos that can be treated simultaneously is virtually unlimited. Temporary treatment of zebrafish larvae with copper sulfate selectively induces cell death in hair cells of the lateral line system and results in rapid granulocyte recruitment to injured neuromasts. The inflammatory response can be followed in real-time by using compound transgenic cldnB::GFP/lysC::DsRED26,9 zebrafish larvae that express a green fluorescent protein in neuromast cells, as well as a red fluorescent protein labeling granulocytes.
In order to devise a screening strategy that would allow both high-content and high-throughput analyses we introduced robotic liquid handling and combined automated microscopy with a custom developed software script. This script enables automated quantification of the inflammatory response by scoring the percent area occupied by red fluorescent leukocytes within an empirically defined area surrounding injured green fluorescent neuromasts. Furthermore, we automated data processing, handling, visualization, and storage all based on custom developed MATLAB and Python scripts.
In brief, we introduce an automated HC/HT screen that allows testing of chemical compounds for their effect on initiation, progression or resolution of a granulocytic inflammatory response. This protocol serves a good starting point for more in-depth analyses of drug mechanisms and pathways involved in the orchestration of an innate immune response. In the future, it may help identifying intolerable toxic or off-target effects at earlier phases of drug discovery and thereby reduce procedural risks and costs for drug development.

Here we describe a novel high-content chemically induced inflammation assay aiming at the identification of immune-modulatory bioactives. We have successfully combined automated microscopy with custom developed software scripts enabling automated quantification of the inflammatory response as well as further data processing, analysis, mining, and storage.

Zebrafish larvae are particularly amenable to whole animal small molecule screens1,2 due to their small size and relative ease of manipulation and ...

Immunology and Infection

Drug Screening of Primary Patient Derived Tumor Xenografts in Zebrafish

Patient derived xenograft models are critical in defining how different cancers respond to drug treatment in an in vivo system. Mouse models are the standard in the field, but zebrafish have emerged as an alternative model with several advantages, including the ability for high-throughput and low-cost drug screening. Zebrafish also allow for in vivo drug screening with large replicate numbers that were previously only obtainable with in vitro systems. The ability to rapidly perform large scale drug screens may open up the possibility for personalized medicine with rapid translation of results back to clinic. Zebrafish xenograft models could also be used to rapidly screen for actionable mutations based on tumor response to targeted therapies or to identify new anti-cancer compounds from large libraries. The current major limitation in the field has been quantifying and automating the process so that drug screens can be done on a larger scale and be less labor-intensive. We have developed a workflow for xenografting primary patient samples into zebrafish larvae and performing large scale drug screens using a fluorescence microscope equipped imaging unit and automated sampler unit. This method allows for standardization and quantification of engrafted tumor area and response to drug treatment across large numbers of zebrafish larvae. Overall, this method is advantageous over traditional cell culture drug screening as it allows for growth of tumor cells in an in vivo environment throughout drug treatment, and is more practical and cost-effective than mice for large scale in vivo drug screens.

Zebrafish xenograft models allow for high-throughput drug screening and fluorescent imaging of human cancer cells in an in vivo microenvironment. We developed a workflow for large scale, automated drug screening on patient-derived leukemia samples in zebrafish using an automated fluorescence microscope equipped imaging unit.

Patient derived xenograft models are critical in defining how different cancers respond to drug treatment in an in vivo system. Mouse models are the ...

Cancer Research

Establishment and Optimization of a High Throughput Setup to Study Staphylococcus epidermidis and Mycobacterium marinum Infection as a Model for Drug Discovery

Zebrafish are becoming a valuable tool in the preclinical phase of drug discovery screenings as a whole animal model with high throughput screening possibilities. They can be used to bridge the gap between cell based assays at earlier stages and in vivo validation in mammalian models, reducing, in this way, the number of compounds passing through to testing on the much more expensive rodent models. In this light, in the present manuscript is described a new high throughput pipeline using zebrafish as in vivo model system for the study of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Mycobacterium marinum infection. This setup allows the generation and analysis of large number of synchronous embryos homogenously infected. Moreover the flexibility of the pipeline allows the user to easily implement other platforms to improve the resolution of the analysis when needed. The combination of the zebrafish together with innovative high throughput technologies opens the field of drug testing and discovery to new possibilities not only because of the strength of using a whole animal model but also because of the large number of transgenic lines available that can be used to decipher the mode of action of new compounds.

Establishment and Optimization of a High Throughput Setup to Study Staphylococcus epidermidis and Mycobacterium marinum Infection as a Model for Drug Discovery

This video article describes the high throughput pipeline that has been successfully established to infect and analyze large numbers of zebrafish embryos providing a new powerful tool for compound testing and drug discovery using a whole animal vertebrate organism.

Zebrafish are becoming a valuable tool in the preclinical phase of drug discovery screenings as a whole animal model with high throughput screening ...

Development of automated imaging and analysis for zebrafish chemical screens. 

We demonstrate the application of image-based high-content screening (HCS) methodology to identify small molecules that can modulate the FGF/RAS/MAPK pathway in zebrafish embryos. The zebrafish embryo is an ideal system for in vivo high-content chemical screens. The 1-day old embryo is approximately 1mm in diameter and can be easily arrayed into 96-well plates, a standard format for high throughput screening. During the first day of development, embryos are transparent with most of the major organs present, thus enabling visualization of tissue formation during embryogenesis. The complete automation of zebrafish chemical screens is still a challenge, however, particularly in the development of automated image acquisition and analysis. We previously generated a transgenic reporter line that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of FGF activity and demonstrated their utility in chemical screens 1. To establish methodology for high throughput whole organism screens, we developed a system for automated imaging and analysis of zebrafish embryos at 24-48 hours post fertilization (hpf) in 96-well plates 2. In this video we highlight the procedures for arraying transgenic embryos into multiwell plates at 24hpf and the addition of a small molecule (BCI) that hyperactivates FGF signaling 3. The plates are incubated for 6 hours followed by the addition of tricaine to anesthetize larvae prior to automated imaging on a Molecular Devices ImageXpress Ultra laser scanning confocal HCS reader. Images are processed by Definiens Developer software using a Cognition Network Technology algorithm that we developed to detect and quantify expression of GFP in the heads of transgenic embryos. In this example we highlight the ability of the algorithm to measure dose-dependent effects of BCI on GFP reporter gene expression in treated embryos.

Development of automated imaging and analysis for zebrafish chemical screens.

We report the development of a system for automated imaging and analysis of zebrafish transgenic embryos in multiwell plates. This demonstrates the ability to measure dose dependent effects of a small molecule, BCI, on Fibroblast Growth Factor reporter gene expression and provide technology for establishing high-throughput zebrafish chemical screens.

We demonstrate the application of image-based high-content screening (HCS) methodology to identify small molecules that can modulate the FGF/RAS/MAPK ...

Rapid Evaluation of Toxicity of Chemical Compounds Using Zebrafish Embryos

The zebrafish is a widely used vertebrate model organism for the disease and phenotype-based drug discovery. The zebrafish generates many offspring, has transparent embryos and rapid external development. Zebrafish embryos can, therefore, also be used for the rapid evaluation of toxicity of the drugs that are precious and available in small quantities. In the present article, a method for the efficient screening of the toxicity of chemical compounds using 1-5-day post fertilization embryos is described. The embryos are monitored by stereomicroscope to investigate the phenotypic defects caused by the exposure to different concentrations of compounds. Half-maximal lethal concentrations (LC50) of the compounds are also determined. The present study required 3-6 mg of an inhibitor compound, and the whole experiment takes about 8-10 h to be completed by an individual in a laboratory having basic facilities. The current protocol is suitable for testing any compound to identify intolerable toxic or off-target effects of the compound in the early phase of drug discovery and to detect subtle toxic effects that may be missed in the cell culture or other animal models. The method reduces procedural delays and costs of drug development.

Zebrafish embryos are used for evaluating the toxicity of chemical compounds. They develop externally and are sensitive to chemicals, allowing detection of subtle phenotypic changes. The experiment only requires a small amount of compound, which is directly added to the plate containing embryos, making the testing system efficient and cost-effective.

The zebrafish is a widely used vertebrate model organism for the disease and phenotype-based drug discovery. The zebrafish generates many offspring, has ...

Medicine

A Manual Small Molecule Screen Approaching High-throughput Using Zebrafish Embryos

Zebrafish have become a widely used model organism to investigate the mechanisms that underlie developmental biology and to study human disease pathology due to their considerable degree of genetic conservation with humans. Chemical genetics entails testing the effect that small molecules have on a biological process and is becoming a popular translational research method to identify therapeutic compounds. Zebrafish are specifically appealing to use for chemical genetics because of their ability to produce large clutches of transparent embryos, which are externally fertilized. Furthermore, zebrafish embryos can be easily drug treated by the simple addition of a compound to the embryo media. Using whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH), mRNA expression can be clearly visualized within zebrafish embryos. Together, using chemical genetics and WISH, the zebrafish becomes a potent whole organism context in which to determine the cellular and physiological effects of small molecules. Innovative advances have been made in technologies that utilize machine-based screening procedures, however for many labs such options are not accessible or remain cost-prohibitive. The protocol described here explains how to execute a manual high-throughput chemical genetic screen that requires basic resources and can be accomplished by a single individual or small team in an efficient period of time. Thus, this protocol provides a feasible strategy that can be implemented by research groups to perform chemical genetics in zebrafish, which can be useful for gaining fundamental insights into developmental processes, disease mechanisms, and to identify novel compounds and signaling pathways that have medically relevant applications.

The zebrafish is an excellent experimental organism to study vertebrate developmental processes and model human disease. Here, we describe a protocol on how to perform a manual high-throughput chemical screen in zebrafish embryos with a whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) read-out.

Zebrafish have become a widely used model organism to investigate the mechanisms that underlie developmental biology and to study human disease pathology ...

High-throughput Measurement of Gut Transit Time Using Larval Zebrafish

Zebrafish are used as alternative model organisms for drug safety testing. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of zebrafish has genetic, neuronal, and pharmacological similarities to that of the mammals. GI intolerance during clinical testing of drug candidates is common and may pose a serious threat to human health. Testing for GI toxicity in preclinical mammalian models can be expensive in terms of time, test compound, and labor. The high-throughput method presented here may be used to predict GI safety issues. Compared to mammalian models, this method allows for more expedient assessment of test compound effects on GI transit while using low quantities of compound. In this method, larval zebrafish (7 days post fertilization) are fed food containing a fluorescent label. After feeding, each larval fish is placed into a well of a 96-conical-bottom-well plate and dosed with test compound (dissolved in water) or the vehicle. As gut transit occurs, fecal matter accumulates on the bottom of the wells, and the rate at which this happens is monitored by measuring fluorescence from the bottom of the well repeatedly over time using a plate spectrophotometer. The fluorescence from larvae in a given treatment group are averaged and these values are graphed along with standard error, for each measurement time, yielding a curve representing average transit of food over time. Effects on gut transit time are identified by comparing the area under the curve for each treatment group to that of the vehicle-treated group. This method detected changes in zebrafish GI transit time induced by drugs with known clinical GI effects; it can be employed to interrogate dozens of treatments for GI effects per day. As such, safer compounds can be quickly prioritized for mammalian testing, which expedites discovery and proffers 3Rs advancement.

The goal of this protocol is to measure the transit time of fluorescently labeled food through the gut of larval zebrafish in a high throughput fashion.

Zebrafish are used as alternative model organisms for drug safety testing. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of zebrafish has genetic, neuronal, and ...

Startle Assay for Toxicity Evaluation in Zebrafish Embryo

Evaluating Toxicity of Chemicals using a Zebrafish Vibration Startle Response Screening System

We developed a simple screening system for the evaluation of neuromuscular and general toxicity in zebrafish embryos. The modular system consists of electrodynamic transducers above which tissue culture dishes with embryos can be placed. Multiple such loudspeaker-tissue culture dish pairs can be combined. Vibrational stimuli generated by the electrodynamic transducers induce a characteristic startle and escape response in the embryos. A belt-driven linear drive sequentially positions a camera above each loudspeaker to record the movement of the embryos. In this way, alterations to the startle response due to lethality or neuromuscular toxicity of chemical compounds can be visualized and quantified. We present an example of the workflow for chemical compound screening using this system, including the preparation of embryos and treatment solutions, operation of the recording system, and data analysis to calculate benchmark concentration values of compounds active in the assay. The modular assembly based on commercially available simple components makes this system both economical and flexibly adaptable to the needs of particular laboratory setups and screening purposes.

Author Spotlight: High-Throughput Toxicity Screening Using Zebrafish Embryo Startle Response Assay

We describe a screening system's workflow and data analysis for evaluating chemical compound toxicity based on the zebrafish embryo vibration startle response. The system records the movements of zebrafish embryos upon exposure to a vibration stimulus and allows for an integrated evaluation of general toxicity/lethality and neuromuscular toxicity.

We developed a simple screening system for the evaluation of neuromuscular and general toxicity in zebrafish embryos. The modular system consists of ...

Small Molecule Screening and Toxicity Testing in Early-stage Zebrafish Larvae

Zebrafish have become a prominent model organism for human translational research, toxicity testing of small molecules and environmental pollutants, therapeutic drug discovery, and other biomedical research applications. The presented protocol aims to provide a clear guide for drug screening and toxicity testing in early-stage zebrafish larvae (aged 3-7 days post fertilization, dpf). Several methodologies describing toxicity testing in zebrafish larvae have been published, albeit lacking a standardized protocol for exposure durations, rate of media changes, and morphology scoring, amongst others. We experimentally determined the ideal larvae ages for conducting the experiments, the plate sizes that work best for those ages, the rate of media changes that provide reliable results while limiting wastage&#160;of test compound, and a morphology scoring system that is easily quantifiable in a statistical manner. The manuscript describes in detail a protocol for toxicity testing in zebrafish larvae aged between&#160;3 to 7 dpf, aiming to target the gap in drug toxicity testing and taking the first step towards a standardized method similar to the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity test.

This protocol describes a drug screening procedure in zebrafish larvae 3-7 days post fertilization followed by morphological assessment.

Zebrafish have become a prominent model organism for human translational research, toxicity testing of small molecules and environmental pollutants, ...