[Preliminary observation of acupoint-like and meridian-like structures on the body surface of the zebrafish].
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.
Jin
Zhi-Gao
ZG
Institute of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
Jing
Xiang-Hong
XH
Li
Ji-Wei
JW
Zhang
Lu
L
Jiang
Jin
J
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000033:anatomy & histology*