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Doszyn O, Dulski T, Zmorzynska J. Diving into the zebrafish brain: exploring neuroscience frontiers with genetic tools, imaging techniques, and behavioral insights. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1358844. [PMID: 38533456 PMCID: PMC10963419 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1358844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is increasingly used in neuroscience research. Zebrafish are relatively easy to maintain, and their high fecundity makes them suitable for high-throughput experiments. Their small, transparent embryos and larvae allow for easy microscopic imaging of the developing brain. Zebrafish also share a high degree of genetic similarity with humans, and are amenable to genetic manipulation techniques, such as gene knockdown, knockout, or knock-in, which allows researchers to study the role of specific genes relevant to human brain development, function, and disease. Zebrafish can also serve as a model for behavioral studies, including locomotion, learning, and social interactions. In this review, we present state-of-the-art methods to study the brain function in zebrafish, including genetic tools for labeling single neurons and neuronal circuits, live imaging of neural activity, synaptic dynamics and protein interactions in the zebrafish brain, optogenetic manipulation, and the use of virtual reality technology for behavioral testing. We highlight the potential of zebrafish for neuroscience research, especially regarding brain development, neuronal circuits, and genetic-based disorders and discuss its certain limitations as a model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J. Zmorzynska
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB), Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Delwarde C, Capoulade R, Mérot J, Le Scouarnec S, Bouatia-Naji N, Yu M, Huttin O, Selton-Suty C, Sellal JM, Piriou N, Schott JJ, Dina C, Le Tourneau T. Genetics and pathophysiology of mitral valve prolapse. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1077788. [PMID: 36873395 PMCID: PMC9978496 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1077788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition affecting 2-3% of the general population, and the most complex form of valve pathology, with a complication rate up to 10-15% per year in advanced stages. Complications include mitral regurgitation which can lead to heart failure and atrial fibrillation, but also life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia and cardiovascular death. Sudden death has been recently brought to the forefront of MVP disease, increasing the complexity of management and suggesting that MVP condition is not properly understood. MVP can occur as part of syndromic conditions such as Marfan syndrome, but the most common form is non-syndromic, isolated or familial. Although a specific X-linked form of MVP was initially identified, autosomal dominant inheritance appears to be the primary mode of transmission. MVP can be stratified into myxomatous degeneration (Barlow), fibroelastic deficiency, and Filamin A-related MVP. While FED is still considered a degenerative disease associated with aging, myxomatous MVP and FlnA-MVP are recognized as familial pathologies. Deciphering genetic defects associated to MVP is still a work in progress; although FLNA, DCHS1, and DZIP1 have been identified as causative genes in myxomatous forms of MVP thanks to familial approaches, they explain only a small proportion of MVP. In addition, genome-wide association studies have revealed the important role of common variants in the development of MVP, in agreement with the high prevalence of this condition in the population. Furthermore, a potential genetic link between MVP and ventricular arrhythmia or a specific type of cardiomyopathy is considered. Animal models that allow to advance in the genetic and pathophysiological knowledge of MVP, and in particular those that can be easily manipulated to express a genetic defect identified in humans are detailed. Corroborated by genetic data and animal models, the main pathophysiological pathways of MVP are briefly addressed. Finally, genetic counseling is considered in the context of MVP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Delwarde
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Romain Capoulade
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Jean Mérot
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Solena Le Scouarnec
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | | | - Mengyao Yu
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Olivier Huttin
- Service de Cardiologie, Institut Lorrain du Coeur et des Vaisseaux Louis Mathieu, CHU de Nancy, Nancy, France
| | - Christine Selton-Suty
- Service de Cardiologie, Institut Lorrain du Coeur et des Vaisseaux Louis Mathieu, CHU de Nancy, Nancy, France
| | - Jean-Marc Sellal
- Service de Cardiologie, Institut Lorrain du Coeur et des Vaisseaux Louis Mathieu, CHU de Nancy, Nancy, France
| | - Nicolas Piriou
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Schott
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Christian Dina
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Thierry Le Tourneau
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
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3
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Peng J, Zhao J, Tang Q, Wang J, Song W, Lu X, Huang X, Chen G, Zheng W, Zhang L, Han Y, Yan C, Wan Q, Chen L. Low intensity near-infrared light promotes bone regeneration via circadian clock protein cryptochrome 1. Int J Oral Sci 2022; 14:53. [PMID: 36376275 PMCID: PMC9663728 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-022-00207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone regeneration remains a great clinical challenge. Low intensity near-infrared (NIR) light showed strong potential to promote tissue regeneration, offering a promising strategy for bone defect regeneration. However, the effect and underlying mechanism of NIR on bone regeneration remain unclear. We demonstrated that bone regeneration in the rat skull defect model was significantly accelerated with low-intensity NIR stimulation. In vitro studies showed that NIR stimulation could promote the osteoblast differentiation in bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and MC3T3-E1 cells, which was associated with increased ubiquitination of the core circadian clock protein Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) in the nucleus. We found that the reduction of CRY1 induced by NIR light activated the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways, promoting SMAD1/5/9 phosphorylation and increasing the expression levels of Runx2 and Osterix. NIR light treatment may act through sodium voltage-gated channel Scn4a, which may be a potential responder of NIR light to accelerate bone regeneration. Together, these findings suggest that low-intensity NIR light may promote in situ bone regeneration in a CRY1-dependent manner, providing a novel, efficient and non-invasive strategy to promote bone regeneration for clinical bone defects.
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4
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Lauri A, Fasano G, Venditti M, Dallapiccola B, Tartaglia M. In vivo Functional Genomics for Undiagnosed Patients: The Impact of Small GTPases Signaling Dysregulation at Pan-Embryo Developmental Scale. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642235. [PMID: 34124035 PMCID: PMC8194860 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While individually rare, disorders affecting development collectively represent a substantial clinical, psychological, and socioeconomic burden to patients, families, and society. Insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are required to speed up diagnosis, improve counseling, and optimize management toward targeted therapies. Genome sequencing is now unveiling previously unexplored genetic variations in undiagnosed patients, which require functional validation and mechanistic understanding, particularly when dealing with novel nosologic entities. Functional perturbations of key regulators acting on signals' intersections of evolutionarily conserved pathways in these pathological conditions hinder the fine balance between various developmental inputs governing morphogenesis and homeostasis. However, the distinct mechanisms by which these hubs orchestrate pathways to ensure the developmental coordinates are poorly understood. Integrative functional genomics implementing quantitative in vivo models of embryogenesis with subcellular precision in whole organisms contribute to answering these questions. Here, we review the current knowledge on genes and mechanisms critically involved in developmental syndromes and pediatric cancers, revealed by genomic sequencing and in vivo models such as insects, worms and fish. We focus on the monomeric GTPases of the RAS superfamily and their influence on crucial developmental signals and processes. We next discuss the effectiveness of exponentially growing functional assays employing tractable models to identify regulatory crossroads. Unprecedented sophistications are now possible in zebrafish, i.e., genome editing with single-nucleotide precision, nanoimaging, highly resolved recording of multiple small molecules activity, and simultaneous monitoring of brain circuits and complex behavioral response. These assets permit accurate real-time reporting of dynamic small GTPases-controlled processes in entire organisms, owning the potential to tackle rare disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Lauri
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Marco Tartaglia
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Campinho P, Vilfan A, Vermot J. Blood Flow Forces in Shaping the Vascular System: A Focus on Endothelial Cell Behavior. Front Physiol 2020; 11:552. [PMID: 32581842 PMCID: PMC7291788 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The endothelium is the cell monolayer that lines the interior of the blood vessels separating the vessel lumen where blood circulates, from the surrounding tissues. During embryonic development, endothelial cells (ECs) must ensure that a tight barrier function is maintained whilst dynamically adapting to the growing vascular tree that is being formed and remodeled. Blood circulation generates mechanical forces, such as shear stress and circumferential stretch that are directly acting on the endothelium. ECs actively respond to flow-derived mechanical cues by becoming polarized, migrating and changing neighbors, undergoing shape changes, proliferating or even leaving the tissue and changing identity. It is now accepted that coordinated changes at the single cell level drive fundamental processes governing vascular network morphogenesis such as angiogenic sprouting, network pruning, lumen formation, regulation of vessel caliber and stability or cell fate transitions. Here we summarize the cell biology and mechanics of ECs in response to flow-derived forces, discuss the latest advances made at the single cell level with particular emphasis on in vivo studies and highlight potential implications for vascular pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Campinho
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Department of Development and Stem Cells, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Andrej Vilfan
- Department of Living Matter Physics, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Julien Vermot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Department of Development and Stem Cells, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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R Ferreira R, Fukui H, Chow R, Vilfan A, Vermot J. The cilium as a force sensor-myth versus reality. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/14/jcs213496. [PMID: 31363000 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.213496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells need to sense their mechanical environment during the growth of developing tissues and maintenance of adult tissues. The concept of force-sensing mechanisms that act through cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions is now well established and accepted. Additionally, it is widely believed that force sensing can be mediated through cilia. Yet, this hypothesis is still debated. By using primary cilia sensing as a paradigm, we describe the physical requirements for cilium-mediated mechanical sensing and discuss the different hypotheses of how this could work. We review the different mechanosensitive channels within the cilium, their potential mode of action and their biological implications. In addition, we describe the biological contexts in which cilia are acting - in particular, the left-right organizer - and discuss the challenges to discriminate between cilium-mediated chemosensitivity and mechanosensitivity. Throughout, we provide perspectives on how quantitative analysis and physics-based arguments might help to better understand the biological mechanisms by which cells use cilia to probe their mechanical environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita R Ferreira
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1258, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Hajime Fukui
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1258, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Renee Chow
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1258, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Andrej Vilfan
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Department of Living Matter Physics, 37077 Göttingen, Germany .,J. Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Julien Vermot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France .,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1258, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
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7
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Chow RWY, Lamperti P, Steed E, Boselli F, Vermot J. Following Endocardial Tissue Movements via Cell Photoconversion in the Zebrafish Embryo. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29553538 DOI: 10.3791/57290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryogenesis, cells undergo dynamic changes in cell behavior, and deciphering the cellular logic behind these changes is a fundamental goal in the field of developmental biology. The discovery and development of photoconvertible proteins have greatly aided our understanding of these dynamic changes by providing a method to optically highlight cells and tissues. However, while photoconversion, time-lapse microscopy, and subsequent image analysis have proven to be very successful in uncovering cellular dynamics in organs such as the brain or the eye, this approach is generally not used in the developing heart due to challenges posed by the rapid movement of the heart during the cardiac cycle. This protocol consists of two parts. The first part describes a method for photoconverting and subsequently tracking endocardial cells (EdCs) during zebrafish atrioventricular canal (AVC) and atrioventricular heart valve development. The method involves temporally stopping the heart with a drug in order for accurate photoconversion to take place. Hearts are allowed to resume beating upon removal of the drug and embryonic development continues normally until the heart is stopped again for high-resolution imaging of photoconverted EdCs at a later developmental time point. The second part of the protocol describes an image analysis method to quantify the length of a photoconverted or non-photoconverted region in the AVC in young embryos by mapping the fluorescent signal from the three-dimensional structure onto a two-dimensional map. Together, the two parts of the protocol allows one to examine the origin and behavior of cells that make up the zebrafish AVC and atrioventricular heart valve, and can potentially be applied for studying mutants, morphants, or embryos that have been treated with reagents that disrupt AVC and/or valve development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Wei-Yan Chow
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; UMR7104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; U964, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg
| | - Paola Lamperti
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; UMR7104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; U964, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg
| | - Emily Steed
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; UMR7104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; U964, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg
| | - Francesco Boselli
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; UMR7104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; U964, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg
| | - Julien Vermot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; UMR7104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; U964, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg;
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8
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Boselli F, Steed E, Freund JB, Vermot J. Anisotropic shear stress patterns predict the orientation of convergent tissue movements in the embryonic heart. Development 2017; 144:4322-4327. [PMID: 29183943 PMCID: PMC5769631 DOI: 10.1242/dev.152124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Myocardial contractility and blood flow provide essential mechanical cues for the morphogenesis of the heart. In general, endothelial cells change their migratory behavior in response to shear stress patterns, according to flow directionality. Here, we assessed the impact of shear stress patterns and flow directionality on the behavior of endocardial cells, the specialized endothelial cells of the heart. At the early stages of zebrafish heart valve formation, we show that endocardial cells are converging to the valve-forming area and that this behavior depends upon mechanical forces. Quantitative live imaging and mathematical modeling allow us to correlate this tissue convergence with the underlying flow forces. We predict that tissue convergence is associated with the direction of the mean wall shear stress and of the gradient of harmonic phase-averaged shear stresses, which surprisingly do not match the overall direction of the flow. This contrasts with the usual role of flow directionality in vascular development and suggests that the full spatial and temporal complexity of the wall shear stress should be taken into account when studying endothelial cell responses to flow in vivo. Summary: Blood flow modeling shows that dynamic shear stress patterns, rather than mean flow direction, predict the stereotypical behavior of endocardial cells during the early steps of heart valve formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Boselli
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Emily Steed
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Jonathan B Freund
- Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Julien Vermot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67404 Illkirch, France .,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, 67404 Illkirch, France
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