title: Automation of Technology for Cancer Research.
abstract: Zebrafish embryos can be obtained for research purposes in large numbers at low cost and embryos develop externally in limited space, making them highly suitable for high-throughput cancer studies and drug screens. Non-invasive live imaging of various processes within the larvae is possible due to their transparency during development, and a multitude of available fluorescent transgenic reporter lines.To perform high-throughput studies, handling large amounts of embryos and larvae is required. With such high number of individuals, even minute tasks may become time-consuming and arduous. In this chapter, an overview is given of the developments in the automation of various steps of large scale zebrafish cancer research for discovering important cancer pathways and drugs for the treatment of human disease. The focus lies on various tools developed for cancer cell implantation, embryo handling and sorting, microfluidic systems for imaging and drug treatment, and image acquisition and analysis. Examples will be given of employment of these technologies within the fields of toxicology research and cancer research.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wietske
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van der Ent
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Veneman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groenewoud
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lanpeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tulotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pancras C W
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hogendoorn
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands. h.p.spaink@biology.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Herman P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Spaink
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands. b.e.snaar-jagalska@biology.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: B Ewa
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Snaar-Jagalska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001331:Automation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044085:Microfluidics; D008845:Microinjections; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
keywords: Automation; Cancer; High-throughput; Image analysis; Microfluidics; Robotics; Zebrafish