PUBLICATION
Behavioral Responses of Newly Hatched Zebrafish (Danio rerio) to Amino Acid Chemostimulants
- Authors
- Lindsay, S.M., and Vogt, R.G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-040225-2
- Date
- 2004
- Source
- Chemical senses 29(2): 93-100 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Vogt, Richard
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Amino Acids/pharmacology*
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Behavior, Animal/physiology*
- Chemoreceptor Cells/drug effects
- Chemoreceptor Cells/physiology*
- Embryo, Nonmammalian
- Motor Activity/physiology
- Mutation/genetics
- Neuronal Plasticity/drug effects
- Odorants
- Olfactory Receptor Neurons/drug effects
- Olfactory Receptor Neurons/physiology
- Phenotype
- Stimulation, Chemical
- Swimming/physiology
- Water Movements
- Zebrafish/physiology*
- PubMed
- 14977805 Full text @ Chem. Senses
Citation
Lindsay, S.M., and Vogt, R.G. (2004) Behavioral Responses of Newly Hatched Zebrafish (Danio rerio) to Amino Acid Chemostimulants. Chemical senses. 29(2):93-100.
Abstract
The zebrafish chemosensory systems of olfaction, taste and solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) are established during the first week after fertilization (a.f.). These systems presumably support the early development of feeding behaviors required as yolk supplies diminish over the same period. Yet there is no previous data reporting early chemosensory responses in zebrafish. We therefore assayed the chemosensory behavior of newly hatched zebrafish on days 3, 4 and 5 a.f. Responses were compared between fish exposed to water alone versus water containing a mixture of 12 amino acids (100 micro M each) flowing through a 50 ml test chamber at 4 ml/min; computer-assisted motion analysis was used to quantify responses. Behavioral responses were first observed at day 4 a.f.; the number of fish swimming, their swimming speeds, and their net-to-gross displacement (NGDR) all increased significantly in response to amino acid stimulation. Because taste buds first appear 4-5 days a.f. and the SCCs may not respond to amino acids, these initial chemosensory responses of day 4 fish may be mediated by already established olfactory neurons. The onset of chemosensitivity in day 4 fish corresponded with an easily recognizable developmental phenotype of inactive floating; day 3 fish were inactive and resting on the bottom while day 5 fish were active and moving through the water column. The ease of identifying responsive day 4 fish suggests these animals may be useful for characterizing odorant sensitivity or developmental plasticity or for screening for chemosensory mutations.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping