PUBLICATION
Visualizing digestive organ morphology and function using differential fatty acid metabolism in live zebrafish
- Authors
- Carten, J.D., Bradford, M.K., and Farber, S.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-111021-6
- Date
- 2011
- Source
- Developmental Biology 360(2): 276-85 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Carten, Juliana, Farber, Steven
- Keywords
- fatty acid, metabolism, zebrafish, BODIPY-FLY, intestine, liver
- MeSH Terms
-
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- Lipid Metabolism
- Fluorescent Dyes
- Palmitic Acids
- Zebrafish/anatomy & histology
- Zebrafish/physiology*
- Animals
- Larva/anatomy & histology
- Larva/physiology
- Biological Transport
- Boron Compounds
- Liposomes
- Microscopy, Fluorescence
- Digestive System/anatomy & histology
- Digestive System/metabolism
- Fatty Acids/metabolism*
- Egg Yolk/metabolism
- PubMed
- 21968100 Full text @ Dev. Biol.
Citation
Carten, J.D., Bradford, M.K., and Farber, S. (2011) Visualizing digestive organ morphology and function using differential fatty acid metabolism in live zebrafish. Developmental Biology. 360(2):276-85.
Abstract
Lipids are essential for cellular function as sources of fuel, critical signaling molecules and membrane components. Deficiencies in lipid processing and transport underlie many metabolic diseases. To better understand metabolic function as it relates to disease etiology, a whole animal approach is advantageous, one in which multiple organs and cell types can be assessed simultaneously in vivo. Towards this end, we have developed an assay to visualize fatty acid (FA) metabolism in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). The method utilizes egg yolk liposomes to deliver different chain length FA analogs (BODIPY-FL) to six day-old larvae. Following liposome incubation, larvae accumulate the analogs throughout their digestive organs, providing a comprehensive readout of organ structure and physiology. Using this assay we have observed that different chain length FAs are differentially transported and metabolized by the larval digestive system. We show that this assay can also reveal structural and metabolic defects in digestive mutants. Because this labeling technique can be used to investigate digestive organ morphology and function, we foresee its application in diverse studies of organ development and physiology.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping