Transcript Zebra Fish***

Zebra Fish
Dennon Tillman
Morgan Montana
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History of the Zebrafish
• Zebrafish, Danio rerio, are
freshwater fish that were
originally found in slow
streams and rice paddies
and in the Ganges River in
East India and Burma.
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• Zebrafish eat smaller living organisms
than themselves and in the wild, they
are eaten by bigger fish, small
amphibians, mammals, or birds. They
are relatively low on the food chain.
Zebrafish Information
• In the early 1970's, a scientist at the
University of Oregon by the name of Dr.
George Streisinger determined that the
zebrafish is a wonderful model for
studying vertebrate development and
genetics.
• Because zebrafish are more closely
related to humans, they are more likely
to be similar to them in many biological
traits.
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• These biological traits would include
genes, developmental processes,
anatomy, physiology, and behaviors.
• Features of the zebrafish strongly favor
studying embryology, the study of
embryos, and collecting and analyzing
mutations and comparing them to other
vertebrates. There are invertebrates that
are equally or better suited for these types
of studies, but they have very different
anatomy patterns of development.
Current Research
• There is much research going into the Zebrafish.
• Zebrafish -- like rats and fruit flies before them -are becoming regular contributors on research
ranging from cancer to cocaine addiction. For
example, zebrafish were used a landmark 2005
study that led scientists to the human gene that
regulates skin color.
• For example, zebrafish were used in a landmark
•
2005 study that led scientists to the human gene
that regulates skin color.
Zebrafish studies also explore one of the major
unexplained areas in developmental biology;
how the brain and central nervous system
develop.
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Interesting Facts
• Female zebrafish have slightly bigger bellies
than males because they need a pouch for when
they have babies.
• Female fish can drop hundreds
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of babies between 2-3 days.
• Zebrafish babies still need their father’s sperm
after they are born to go through many other
stages of embryonic development.
• As the eggs are being laid, they remain
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•
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transparent, which is an important characteristic.
All major organs are developed within 36 hours
of being dropped.
Hatching occurs within 48-72 hours after being
combined with the father’s sperm at the bottom
of the tank.
The sex of a zebrafish can only be determined
through dissection.
• zfin.org
• www.neuro.uoregon.edu/k12/FAQs.html
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/07
0730111642.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PhnHYZ5-zg