Advances in the Utilization of Zebrafish for Assessing and Understanding the Mechanisms of Nano-/Microparticles Toxicity in Water

Abstract

A large amount of nano-/microparticles (MNPs) are released into water, not only causing severe water pollution, but also negatively affecting organisms. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate MNP toxicity and mechanisms in water. There is a significant degree of similarity between the genes, the central nervous system, the liver, the kidney, and the intestines of zebrafish and the human body. It has been shown that zebrafish are exceptionally suitable for evaluating the toxicity and action mechanisms of MNPs in water on reproduction, the central nervous system, and metabolism. Providing ideas and methods for studying MNP toxicity, this article discusses the toxicity and mechanisms of MNPs from zebrafish.

Behavioral Studies of Zebrafish Reveal a New Perspective on the Reproductive Toxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics

“…MNPs, acting as endocrine disruptors, not only influence the reproductive behavior of aquatic organisms but also significantly impact hormone levels, which are crucial for the development and function of reproductive organs [ 58 , 59 , 60 ]. In zebrafish, a model organism for studying these effects, the disruption of endocrine balance plays a pivotal role in behavioral changes [ 61 ].…”

“…Oxidative stress is a common mechanism of action for endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)-induced toxicity. MNPs can cause oxidative damage to specific regions of the brain, posing developmental risks and negatively affecting neurological development [ 60 , 86 ]. An imbalance between the production of ROS and the ability of antioxidant enzymes to remove them can occur as a result of oxidative stress.…”

Rapid Assessment of Ocular Toxicity from Environmental Contaminants Based on Visually Mediated Zebrafish Behavior Studies

“…The zebrafish has emerged as a promising model for studying human eye disorders due to its remarkable similarities in anatomy, function, tissue composition, circuitry, and biochemistry with other vertebrates [ 31 ]. The highly conserved nature of zebrafish eyes among vertebrates has facilitated the successful modeling of numerous eye disorders [ 32 ], including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration [ 16 , 33 ]. Zebrafish retinas exhibit the typical morphology found in vertebrate retinas, resembling adult retinas, and share both anatomical and functional similarities with human retinas [ 29 , 34 ].…”

Zebrafish in dermatology: a comprehensive review of their role in investigating abnormal skin pigmentation mechanisms

“…Zebrafish serve as an exemplary model (Lajis, 2018) for studying melanin development (Ziegler, 2003) and pigmentation disorder (Figure 2). Remarkably, about 87% of zebrafish genes share a high similarity with human genes, and the pathways associated with human melanin production are well-conserved (Du et al, 2016;Lei et al, 2023). The transparent nature of zebrafish embryos and larvae facilitates in vivo imaging, offering a holistic view of melanocyte changes.…”