On the diabetic menu: Zebrafish as a model for pancreas development and function
Article first published online: 9 FEB 2009
Copyright © 2009 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.
Volume 31, Issue 2, pages 139–152, February 2009
How to Cite
Kinkel, M. D. and Prince, V. E. (2009), On the diabetic menu: Zebrafish as a model for pancreas development and function. Bioessays, 31: 139–152. doi: 10.1002/bies.200800123
- Issue published online: 9 FEB 2009
- Article first published online: 9 FEB 2009
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Grant Numbers: 1-2003-257, 5-2007-970
- National Institutes of Health. Grant Numbers: NIDDK DK064973, NICHD HD050031
- Digestive Diseases Research Core Center of The University of Chicago. Grant Number: DK42086
Development of the vertebrate pancreas is a complex stepwise process comprising regionalization, cell differentiation, and morphogenesis. Studies in zebrafish are contributing to an emerging picture of pancreas development in which extrinsic signaling molecules influence intrinsic transcriptional programs to allow ultimate differentiation of specific pancreatic cell types. Zebrafish experiments have revealed roles for several signaling molecules in aspects of this process; for example our own work has shown that retinoic acid signals specify the pre-pancreatic endoderm. Time-lapse imaging of live zebrafish embryos has started to provide detailed information about early pancreas morphogenesis. In addition to modeling embryonic development, the zebrafish has recently been used as a model for pancreas regeneration studies. Here, we review the significant progress in these areas and consider the future potential of zebrafish as a diabetes research model.