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Fish as Model Organisms for (Eco)Toxicology and Disease

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Special Issue Information
Keywords
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A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2019) | Viewed by 17507

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xavier Cousin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. MARBEC, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Route de Maguelone, Route de Maguelone, F-34250 Palavas, France
2. Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, GABI, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78350 Jouy-en- Josas, France
Interests: ecotoxicology; aquatic toxicology; developmental toxicity; neurotoxicity; behavior disruption; reproduction toxicity; multi and transgenerational toxicity; bioassays; fish models; organic pollutants; endocrine disrupting chemicals; microplastics

Dr. Will Norton

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Interests: disease model; translational neuroscience; behaviour; neurochemistry; gene expression; aggression; social behaviour

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A model organism is a species that is representative of other animals, permitting the translation of information. They typically share properties such as face validity, construct validity, and predictive validity, allowing knowledge about the function in other species to be uncovered.

The extreme diversity of fish among vertebrates has led to the emergence of several model fish species. Among them, zebrafish and medaka have been extensively used to address a wide range of questions. However, the biological characteristics of other fish allow particular questions to be addressed. For example, evo-devo questions can be investigated using genetically-isolated morphs (Mexican cavefish or Arctic charr), ageing can be studied in Nothobranchius furzeri, and the ability to adapt to specific environmental niches in sand-goby or flatfish.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather high-quality contributions reporting on how fish, including but not limited to zebrafish or medaka, can be used as model organisms for humans or other animals in the fields of (eco)toxicology, disease, and more generally as physiological models.

Dr. Xavier Cousin
Dr. Will Norton
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

disease model
toxicology and ecotoxicology model
translation
physiology
screening
behaviour
reprotoxicity

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 4121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

No Correlation between Endo- and Exoskeletal Regenerative Capacities in Teleost Species

by Nóra Pápai, Ferenc Kagan, György Csikós, Mónika Kosztelnik, Tibor Vellai and Máté Varga

Fishes 2019, 4(4), 51; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fishes4040051 - 14 Oct 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3534

Abstract

The regeneration of paired appendages in certain fish and amphibian lineages is a well established and extensively studied regenerative phenomenon. The teleost fin is comprised of a proximal endoskeletal part (considered homologous to the Tetrapod limb) and a distal exoskeletal one, and these two parts form their bony elements through different ossification processes. In the past decade, a significant body of literature has been generated about the biology of exoskeletal regeneration in zebrafish. However, it is still not clear if this knowledge can be applied to the regeneration of endoskeletal parts. To address this question, we decided to compare endo- and exoskeletal regenerative capacity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mudskippers (Periophthalmus barbarous). In contrast to the reduced endoskeleton of zebrafish, Periophthalmus has well developed pectoral fins with a large and easily accessible endoskeleton. We performed exo- and endoskeletal amputations in both species and followed the regenerative processes. Unlike the almost flawless exoskeletal regeneration observed in zebrafish, regeneration following endoskeletal amputation is often impaired in this species. This difference is even more pronounced in Periophthalmus where we could observe no regeneration in endoskeletal structures. Therefore, regeneration is regulated differentially in the exo- and endoskeleton of teleost species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish as Model Organisms for (Eco)Toxicology and Disease)

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16 pages, 2509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Effects of Bisphenol A and Tetrabromobisphenol A on Cell Viability and Reproduction-Related Gene Expression in Pituitaries from Sexually Maturing Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua L.)

by Kristine von Krogh, Erik Ropstad, Rasoul Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, Trude Marie Haug and Finn-Arne Weltzien

Fishes 2019, 4(3), 48; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fishes4030048 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4063

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are widely used industrial chemicals, ubiquitously present in the environment. While BPA is a well-known endocrine disruptor and able to affect all levels of the teleost reproductive axis, information regarding TBBPA on this subject is very limited. Using primary cultures from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), the present study was aimed at investigating potential direct effects of acute (72 h) BPA and TBBPA exposure on cell viability and the expression of reproductive-relevant genes in the pituitary. The results revealed that both bisphenols stimulate cell viability in terms of metabolic activity and membrane integrity at environmentally relevant concentrations. BPA had no direct effects on gonadotropin gene expression, but enhanced the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor 2a, the main gonadotropin modulator in Atlantic cod. In contrast, TBBPA increased gonadotropin transcript levels but had no effect on GnRH receptor mRNA. In conclusion, both anthropogenic compounds display endocrine disruptive properties and are able to directly interfere with gene expression related to reproductive function in cod pituitary cells at environmentally relevant concentrations in vitro. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish as Model Organisms for (Eco)Toxicology and Disease)

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Graphical abstract

7 pages, 1412 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Ionic Stress Prompts Premature Hatching of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos

by James Ord

Fishes 2019, 4(1), 20; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fishes4010020 - 13 Mar 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4479

Abstract

Ionic homeostasis is an essential component of functioning cells, and ionic stress imposed by excessive salinity can disrupt cellular and physiological processes. Therefore, increasing salinity of aquatic environments—a consequence of global climate change—has the potential to adversely affect the health of aquatic animals and their ecosystems. The ability to respond adaptively to adverse environmental changes is essential for the survival of species, but animals in early embryonic stages may be particularly vulnerable, as they cannot easily escape from such conditions. Herein, the effects of increasing salinity on the mortality and hatching time of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were investigated. Increasing salinity significantly affected mortality after 24 h of exposure beginning from <2 h post-fertilisation, with 10 parts per thousand (ppt) inducing complete lethality. The 24-h LC50 of NaCl to embryos was estimated to be approximately 5.6 ppt. Interestingly, 5 ppt, a test concentration only slightly lower than the LC50, induced earlier hatching than at lower concentrations. This earlier hatching was also observed even when exposure was commenced at later stages of embryogenesis, despite later-stage embryos not suffering appreciable mortality in response to salinity. The results suggest that earlier hatching is a plastic response which may function to enable embryos to evade unfavourable conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish as Model Organisms for (Eco)Toxicology and Disease)

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Review

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14 pages, 732 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Zebrafish Models in Neural and Behavioral Toxicology across the Life Stages

by Bruna Patricia Dutra Costa, Layana Aquino Moura, Sabrina Alana Gomes Pinto, Monica Lima-Maximino and Caio Maximino

Fishes 2020, 5(3), 23; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fishes5030023 - 31 Jul 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4660

Abstract

The industry is increasingly relying on fish for toxicity assessment. However, current guidelines for toxicity assessment focus on teratogenicity and mortality. From an ecotoxicological point of view, however, these endpoints may not reflect the “full picture” of possible deleterious effects that can nonetheless result in decreased fitness and/or inability to adapt to a changing environment, affecting whole populations. Therefore, assessing sublethal effects add relevant data covering different aspects of toxicity at different levels of analysis. The impacts of toxicants on neurobehavioral function have the potential to affect many different life-history traits, and are easier to assess in the laboratory than in the wild. We propose that carefully-controlled laboratory experiments on different behavioral domains—including anxiety, aggression, and exploration—can increase our understanding of the ecotoxicological impacts of contaminants, since these domains are related to traits such as defense, sociality, and reproduction, directly impacting life-history traits. The effects of selected contaminants on these tests are reviewed, focusing on larval and adult zebrafish, showing that these behavioral domains are highly sensitive to small concentrations of these substances. These strategies suggest a way forward on ecotoxicological research using fish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish as Model Organisms for (Eco)Toxicology and Disease)

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