Fish as model systems.
Fish represent the largest and most diverse group of vertebrates. Their evolutionary position relative to other vertebrates and their ability to adapt to a wide variety of environments make them ideal for studying both organismic and molecular evolution. A number of other characteristics make them excellent experimental models for studies in embryology, neurobiology, endocrinology, environmental biology, and other areas. In fact, they have played a critical role in the development of several of these disciplines. Research techniques that enable scientists to make isogenic lines in a single generation, create and maintain mutants, culture cells, and transfer cloned genes into embryos signal an increasing role for fish as experimental models.
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Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods; D004704:Endocrinology / Q000379:methods; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D009446:Neurobiology / Q000379:methods; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods