Zygote to Fry: The Development of Zebrafish

Students: Christopher Sonntag

Faculty Mentor: Lisa Hua

Biology

College of Science, Technology, and Business

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are an exceptional model organism for developmental biology due to their genetic similarity to humans, rapid reproduction rates, transparent embryos, and ease of genetic modification. This study explores zebrafish embryonic development to better understand vertebrate development and its relevance to human health, including cancer, regeneration, and congenital heart disease research. The primary objective is to examine zebrafish embryo development in a controlled laboratory environment and apply our observations to organisms with similar developmental processes. We identified the sex of the zebrafish, observed sex-specific features, fertilized embryos, and maintained them in embryo medium. Observations were recorded at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-fertilization, noting developmental changes such as cleavage and gastrulation. At 24 hours, embryos were at the 2K-cell stage. By 48 hours, they reached the 18-somite stage, and at 72 hours, zebrafish hatched and their heart and circulatory systems became visible.