The ZebrafishLab is a facility including a multi-system of autamated aquariums, which, according to current legislation, can be dedicated to housing and using several zebrafish lines.
The Zebrafish are taking a leading role in various scientific fields, not only for basic research but also in behavioral and toxicological studies, the pathogenesis of some bacteria, the study of neurodegenerative disorders, in pharmaceutical research, in oncology and in the study of hereditary and congenital diseases.
Benefits to using Zebrafish are: a) economic benefit; b) speed of execution; c) genetic similarity: highly conserved genes and pathways (> 75% homologous genes with humans).
ZebrafishLab can provide the following services:
- Maintenance of embryos at various stages of development, larvae and adult, viable and/or fixed
- Supply of wild type, verexpressing or knock-down embryos
- Genetic manipulation
- Micro-injections in embryos, larvae and adults;
- Analysis of embryonic development and/or behavior of sample exposed to different substances of pharmaceutical, agro-pharmaceutical and toxicological (pharmaco-toxicological screening) interest
- Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Test (OECD guidelines);
- Image Analysis;
- Introductory courses to the use of zebrafish as a model system.
MAIN FIELDS OF APPLICATION
- Development and differentiation of the central nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases
- Development and differentiation of the cardio-vascular system in physiological and pathological conditions
- Xenotransplantation and tumor angiogenesis
- Haematopoiesis
- Somitogenesi and muscle differentiation
- Molecular mechanisms that regulate osteogenesis in physiological and pathological conditions