Functioning and Gene Expression of Adenosine A Receptor During Zebrafish () Development.

The A1 adenosine receptor is the most widely expressed P1 receptor in vertebrates, performing inhibitory tone of the nervous system. Increased levels of adenosine are crucial to promote tissue protection in threatening situations, such as convulsion and hypoxia. Zebrafish is an established model organism for studies on health and disease.

Endosulfan exposure inhibits brain AChE activity and impairs swimming performance in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Endosulfan is a broad spectrum organochlorine pesticide that is still widely in use in many developing countries. Following application, endosulfan can get to watercourses through surface runoff from agricultural fields and disturb the non-target aquatic animals including freshwater fish species. Given that the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is one of the most recurrently used biomarkers of exposure to pesticides and there are controversial results concerning the effects of endosulfan exposure and AChE activity in fish, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of endosulfan in brain AChE activity and its gene expression pattern using adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an animal model.

Antipsychotic drugs reverse MK-801-induced cognitive and social interaction deficits in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness characterized by positive and negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. Reduction of glutamatergic neurotransmission by NMDA receptor antagonists mimics symptoms of schizophrenia. Modeling social interaction and cognitive impairment in animals can be of great benefit in the effort to develop novel treatments for negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.