Short communication. Zebrafish embryo development can be reversibly arrested at the MBT [mid blastula transition] stage by exposure to a water temperature of 16 deg C

Abstract

Germline chimaerism (intra or interspecific) is a technique of great potential in aquaculture. It allows specimens to be obtained that produce gametes whose origins lie in the cells of the donor organism. Chimaerism is usually performed at the mid blastula transition (MBT) stage since this is the last in which embryonic cells remain completely totipotent. Zebrafish are photoperiodic in their egg-laying behaviour and show rapid embryonic development. For chimaerism to be successful, it is of interest to establish the maximum time over which embryonic development can be reversibly arrested. This paper reports the effect on survival of subjecting zebrafish embryos at different stages of development to a water temperature of 16 deg C for different lengths of time. The maximum exposure time after which these embryos were able to resume development following low-temperature-induced developmental arrest became shorter as the embryonic stage exposed became earlier. At the MBT stage, the maximum safe exposure time was 2 h; longer exposure times led to problems in development and survival.

Ultraviolet Radiation Dose to be Applied in Recipient Zebrafish Embryos for Germ‐line Chimaerism is Strain Dependent

“…Adult zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) from two different strains ( wild and gold types) were maintained separately in 20‐l aquariums and kept in 6 : 3 proportion (females/males) per aquarium. Both populations were fed with granular food supplemented with recently defrosted hen egg yolk and shrimp meat (Francisco Simão et al. 2007).…”

Micromanipulation medium osmolarity compromises zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo and cell survival in chimaerism experiments

“…Care of zebrafish specimens, Danio rerio , and embryo collection were carried out as described by Francisco-Simão et al . (2007). Embryos near the mid blastula transition stage (MBT) were dechlorinated by pronase (1.5 mg/ml in H10), H10 being Hanks’ buffered salt solution (HBSS) diluted 10% in distilled water, v/v.…”