Morphological score assignment guidelines for the dechorionated zebrafish teratogenicity assay.
BACKGROUND
Recently we reported the development and optimization of a zebrafish teratogenicity assay using dechorionated AB strain embryos, a promising assay that was 87% concordant in correctly identifying in vivo teratogens and non-teratogens from a set of 31 compounds (Brannen et al., 2010: Birth Defects Res 89:66-77).


METHODS
This assay utilizes a zebrafish morphological score system to characterize adverse effects and identify the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL).


RESULTS
This report describes in detail the morphological score system used in the dechorionated zebrafish embryo culture teratogenicity assay. The morphological assessment includes evaluation of most structures and organ systems and grades relative severity of abnormalities.


CONCLUSIONS
To this end, the morphological score system provides information of tissue-specific teratogenicity that has been found to have good concordance with structures found affected in vivo and can also be used to rank compounds based on the severity of malformations.
Panzica-Kelly
Julieta M
JM
Discovery Toxicology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, New Jersey 08534, USA. julie.panzica@bms.com
Zhang
Cindy X
CX
Danberry
Tracy L
TL
Flood
Annette
A
DeLan
Judiann W
JW
Brannen
Kimberly C
KC
Augustine-Rauch
Karen A
KA
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D013723:Teratogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*
D013723:Teratogens