Neuromuscular Junction Disease Modeling and Therapeutic Screening Using Zebrafish

Abstract

Disorders of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), which is crucial for signal transduction between nerve and muscle cells in the peripheral nervous system, ultimately lead to dysfunction in both nerves and muscles. Zebrafish have become a valuable model for studying peripheral neuropathy, owing to their high genetic similarity to humans and the transparency that allows for direct observation of NMJ formation and function in vivo. This review introduces various methods used to create zebrafish NMJ disease models, including genetic manipulation, chemical treatment, and physical damage induction. Additionally, we discuss experimental techniques such as immunostaining, behavioral analysis, and electrophysiological testing, which are used to assess NMJ structure and function in these models. We also explore how potential NMJ disease treatments have been applied and validated using zebrafish NMJ models, highlighting their significant benefits for high-throughput drug screening. In summary, this review aims to illustrate the utility of zebrafish as an in vivo platform for studying mechanisms and developing treatments for NMJ diseases.