title: [Preliminary observation of acupoint-like and meridian-like structures on the body surface of the zebrafish].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To probe whether there are acupoint-like and meridian-like structures on the body surface of the zebrafish.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult zebrafish were put into a 10 micromol/L DiA water solution and then anaesthetized for observation under a fluorescent microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The labeled substance appeared in round bright spots and some of them gather together to form a cluster which distributed through the body surface orderly. The labeled clusters along the long axis of the body distributed in four lines, dorsal line, dorsal lateral line, lateral line and ventral line. The lateral line could be divided into two lines, lateral superior line and lateral inferior line; and the ventral line into ventral lateral line and ventral line based on their nerve connection under high power microscope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensory organs of the zebrafish distributed orderly and formed clusters appearing orderly in lines throughout the body surface, which are much like acupoints and meridians described in traditional Chinese medicine.
authors: Institute of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors: Zhi-Gao
authors: ZG
authors: Jin
authors: Xiang-Hong
authors: XH
authors: Jing
authors: Ji-Wei
authors: JW
authors: Li
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000033:anatomy & histology*