Cells Isolated from Regenerating Caudal Fin of Sparus aurata Can Differentiate into Distinct Bone Cell Lineages.

Teleosts have the ability to regenerate their caudal fin upon amputation. A highly proliferative mass of undifferentiated cells called blastema forms beneath wound epidermis and differentiates to regenerate all missing parts of the fin. To date, the origin and fate of the blastema is not completely understood.

The zebrafish operculum: A powerful system to assess osteogenic bioactivities of molecules with pharmacological and toxicological relevance.

Bone disorders affect millions of people worldwide and available therapeutics have a limited efficacy, often presenting undesirable side effects. As such, there is a need for novel molecules with bone anabolic properties. The aim of this work was to establish a rapid, reliable and reproducible method to screen for molecules with osteogenic activities, using the zebrafish operculum to assess bone formation.

Quantitative assessment of the regenerative and mineralogenic performances of the zebrafish caudal fin.

The ability of zebrafish to fully regenerate its caudal fin has been explored to better understand the mechanisms underlying de novo bone formation and to develop screening methods towards the discovery of compounds with therapeutic potential. Quantifying caudal fin regeneration largely depends on successfully measuring new tissue formation through methods that require optimization and standardization. Here, we present an improved methodology to characterize and analyse overall caudal fin and bone regeneration in adult zebrafish.

Revisiting in vivo staining with alizarin red S--a valuable approach to analyse zebrafish skeletal mineralization during development and regeneration.

Background: The correct evaluation of mineralization is fundamental for the study of skeletal development, maintenance, and regeneration. Current methods to visualize mineralized tissue in zebrafish rely on: 1) fixed specimens; 2) radiographic and μCT techniques, that are ultimately limited in resolution; or 3) vital stains with fluorochromes that are indistinguishable from the signal of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labelled cells. Alizarin compounds, either in the form of alizarin red S (ARS) or alizarin complexone (ALC), have long been used to stain the mineralized skeleton in fixed specimens from all vertebrate groups.

Micro-anatomical characterization of vertebral curvatures in Senegalese sole Solea senegalensis.

The micro-anatomical changes associated with lordotic and kyphotic vertebral curvatures (VC) in juvenile and adult Senegalese sole Solea senegalensis are described. In addition, it is demonstrated that the tissue and cellular structures of individual vertebrae can be severely affected. Two main conformations were found in deformed juvenile specimens: flattened vertebrae with dorso-ventral compression and trapezoidal vertebrae forming concave and convex sides under compressive and tensile stresses.

Development of an in vitro cell system from zebrafish suitable to study bone cell differentiation and extracellular matrix mineralization.

Mechanisms of bone formation and skeletal development have been successfully investigated in zebrafish using a variety of in vivo approaches, but in vitro studies have been hindered due to a lack of homologous cell lines capable of producing an extracellular matrix (ECM) suitable for mineral deposition. Here we describe the development and characterization of a new cell line termed ZFB1, derived from zebrafish calcified tissues. ZFB1 cells have an epithelium-like phenotype, grow at 28°C in a regular L-15 medium supplemented with 15% of fetal bovine serum, and are maintained and manipulated using standard methods (e.

Distinct patterns of notochord mineralization in zebrafish coincide with the localization of Osteocalcin isoform 1 during early vertebral centra formation.

Background: In chondrichthyans, basal osteichthyans and tetrapods, vertebral bodies have cartilaginous anlagen that subsequently mineralize (chondrichthyans) or ossify (osteichthyans). Chondrocytes that form the vertebral centra derive from somites. In teleost fish, vertebral centrum formation starts in the absence of cartilage, through direct mineralization of the notochord sheath.