title: Toxic Effects of Zinc Chloride on the Bone Development in Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822).
abstract: The increase of heavy metals in the environment involves a high exposure of aquatic organisms to these pollutants. The present study is planned to investigate the effects of zinc chloride (ZnCl2) on the bone embryonic development of Danio rerio and confirm the use of zebrafish as a model organism to study the teratogenic potential of this pollutant. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different ZnCl2 concentrations and analyzed by ICP-MS. The skeletal anomalies were evaluated to confocal microscope after staining with calcein solution and RhodZin(TM)-3,AM. The data show a delay in hatching compared with the controls, malformations in the process of calcification and significant defects in growth. In conclusion, the current work demonstrates for the first time the Zn toxic effects on calcification process and confirm zebrafish (Danio rerio) as suitable alternative vertebrate model to study the causes and the mechanisms of the skeletal malformations.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Zoo-prophylactic Institute of Sicily Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvaggio
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pecoraro
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camiolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tibullo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Bianca M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saccone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Brundo
keywords: bone development; calcein; skeletal malformations; zebrafish; zinc chloride