title: Zebrafish: a model system to study heritable skin diseases.
abstract: Heritable skin diseases represent a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations due to mutations in ∼500 different genes. A number of model systems have been developed to advance our understanding of the pathomechanisms of genodermatoses. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater vertebrate, has a well-characterized genome, the expression of which can be easily manipulated. The larvae develop rapidly, with all major organs having developed by 5-6 days post-fertilization, including the skin, consisting of the epidermis comprising two cell layers and separated from the dermal collagenous matrix by a basement membrane. This perspective highlights the morphological and ultrastructural features of zebrafish skin, in the context of cutaneous gene expression. These observations suggest that zebrafish provide a useful model system to study the molecular aspects of skin development, as well as the pathogenesis and treatment of select heritable skin diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Qiaoli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Christine I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Thisse
authors.forename: Bernard V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Thisse
authors.forename: Jouni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uitto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish