Share thisA tide has risen within the laboratory animal research industry, one which has seen consistent, if not exceptional, growth over the past decade. Aquatic animals have proven to be unique and powerful research models due to their biology, genetics, breeding and reproductive cycles, among other things. Research areas include developmental biology, toxicology, and human disease research to name just a few. The use of aquatic animal models is no longer an endeavor engaged only by a few enterprising individuals but is becoming an established research field endorsed by many leaders in government, academia, and industry. With the noteworthy success of several species used in biomedical research applications, the time is right to encourage those currently supporting the field and to make accessible the exploration for others. As a resource for laboratory research, the applications and opportunities are becoming more and more evident to a larger population of interested parties.
Amphibians have been used as models for experimental embryology for more than 100 years. Aquatic animals comprise over 80% of the world’s living organisms yet in the field of biomedical research mammalian models have been the key players to date. Although the aquatic animal research industry may be behind the mainstream lab animal industry in terms of standardization and application, the ability is there to learn and adapt existing, established technologies from traditional laboratory animal medicine to the field of aquatics enabling us to define tomorrow’s possibilities.
Alternative animal models are being continually considered and explored. The aquatic animal model is providing researchers and those concerned with animal welfare a means of putting the “three R’s” mentality to work for the greater good. The “three R’s” refers to the reduction, refinement, and replacement of animal models while maintaining the quality and validity of scientific information obtained. The use of aquatic animal models affords the industry the ability to reduce, replace, or refine the way mammalian species are used. As the industry matures, the means by which we maintain aquatic animals and monitor and ensure their health are being refined. In vitro experiments with eggs from frogs and fish allow for non-invasive research otherwise unavailable using traditional mammalian models such as mice and rats. Invertebrate aquatic species such as squid and sea urchins provide an excellent model for the study of nerve cell transmission, environmental contaminants affecting fertility and developmental mutations, as well as important advances in cancer research. Aquatic animal models are often easier to handle and require less space to house than traditional mammalian models and the time necessary to gain information is often decreased because of the short reproductive cycles and developmental periods.
One aquatic species seeing extraordinarily rapid application is the Zebrafish (Danio rerio). According to the Zebrafish Information Network (ZFIN), there are 3,136 researchers working with zebrafish in 387 laboratories worldwide. The majority of these labs are university based. The remainder are either government or research institute laboratories.