Work

Zebrafish and CRISPR —A synergistic approach to decipher and cure human diseases

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Rapidly emerging infectious and genetic diseases demand robust vertebrate models to investigate pathogenesis and accelerate therapeutic discovery. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) offer substantial translational value owing to their conserved physiology, optical transparency, rapid reproduction, and the presence of orthologs for approximately 70% of human genes and approximately 82% of disease-associated genes. The integration of CRISPR/Cas9 technology has transformed zebrafish research, enabling efficient generation of targeted knockouts, knockins, and high-throughput mutagenesis screens. This synergy supports mechanistic dissection and modeling of cardiovascular, oncologic, viral, and other genetic disorders. Despite these advantages, rigorous allele validation, consideration of paralog redundancy, maternal contribution, and off-target analysis remain essential to ensure translational accuracy. This review summarizes current applications, methodological advances, limitations, and best-practice recommendations for combining zebrafish models with genome editing to improve understanding and treatment of human diseases.

Source: Animal Models and Experimental Medicine

DOI: 10.1002/ame2.70141

Authors: Manikandan Sivaprakasam, Aashika Raagavi Jeanpierre, Salma Mohammed, Rajesh Srinivasan, Aman Kumar Mohanty

Institution: Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University

Language: English

Topic: Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications

Subfield: Cell Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,000