Zebrafish being used as a research model to promote heart regeneration

Zebrafish being used as a research model to promote heart regeneration

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment; Biodiversity

In news

• Recently, Scientists at Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute have used the Zebrafish as a research model and identified genes that can promote heart regeneration.

Important value addition

• Zebrafish is a tiny freshwater fish barely 2-3 cm long. 
• It can efficiently regenerate its damaged heart within a short time period.
• Zebrafish is found in the tropical and subtropical regions. 
• The fish is native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains, where they are mostly found in the paddy fields and even in stagnant water and streams.
• It is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name Danio.
• The zebrafish is an important and widely used vertebrate model organism in scientific research, for example in drug development, in particular pre-clinical development.
• It is also notable for its regenerative abilities and has been modified by researchers to produce many transgenic strains.