title: Zebrafish models for assessing developmental and reproductive toxicity.
abstract: The zebrafish is increasingly used as a vertebrate animal model for in vivo drug discovery and for assessing chemical toxicity and safety. Numerous studies have confirmed that zebrafish and mammals are similar in their physiology, development, metabolism and pathways, and that zebrafish responses to toxic substances are highly predictive of mammalian responses. Developmental and reproductive toxicity assessments are an important part of new drug safety profiling. A significant number of drug candidates have failed in preclinical tests due to their adverse effect on development and reproductivity. Compared to conventional mammal testing, zebrafish testing for assessing developmental and reproductive toxicity offers several compelling experimental advantages, including transparency of embryo and larva, higher throughput, shorter test period, lower cost, smaller amount of compound required, easier manipulation and direct compound delivery. Toxicity and safety assessments using zebrafish have also been accepted by the FDA and EMEA for investigative new drug (IND) approval.
authors: Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China; Institute of Watershed Science and Environmental Ecology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China; Hunter Biotechnology, Inc., Transfarland, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311231, PR China.
authors: Jian-Hui
authors: JH
authors: He
authors: Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China.
authors: Ji-Min
authors: JM
authors: Gao
authors: Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China; Institute of Watershed Science and Environmental Ecology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China.
authors: Chang-Jiang
authors: CJ
authors: Huang
authors: Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China; Institute of Watershed Science and Environmental Ecology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325035, PR China; Hunter Biotechnology, Inc., Transfarland, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311231, PR China. Electronic address: chunqili@wzmc.edu.cn.
authors: Chun-Qi
authors: CQ
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D023421:Models, Animal; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity; D018600:Teratology / Q000379:methods*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013723:Teratogens
keywords: Chemical toxicity; Developmental toxicity; Embryo toxicity; Reproductive toxicity; Zebrafish