Title:Modeling Parkinson’s Disease in Zebrafish
Volume: 19
Issue: 5
Author(s): Nor H.M. Najib, Yong H. Nies, Syarifah A.S. Abd Halim, Mohamad F. Yahaya, Srijit Das, Wei L. Lim and Seong L. Teoh*
Affiliation:
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia
Keywords:
Neurodegenerative disease, disease models, neurotoxins, transgenic, Danio rerio, Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
Abstract: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders that affects
the motor system, and includes cardinal motor symptoms such as resting tremor, cogwheel rigidity,
bradykinesia and postural instability. Its prevalence is increasing worldwide due to the increase in
life span. Although, two centuries since the first description of the disease, no proper cure with regard
to treatment strategies and control of symptoms could be reached. One of the major challenges faced
by the researchers is to have a suitable research model. Rodents are the most common PD models
used, but no single model can replicate the true nature of PD. In this review, we aim to discuss another
animal model, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), which is gaining popularity. Zebrafish brain has all the major
structures found in the mammalian brain, with neurotransmitter systems, and it also possesses a
functional blood-brain barrier similar to humans. From the perspective of PD research, the zebrafish
possesses the ventral diencephalon, which is thought to be homologous to the mammalian substantia
nigra. We summarize the various zebrafish models available to study PD, namely chemical-induced
and genetic models. The zebrafish can complement the use of other animal models for the mechanistic
study of PD and help in the screening of new potential therapeutic compounds.
