Metabolic Disease Models

Zebrafish represents a fantastic model to study metabolic disorders since possess all the organs involved in metabolism such as appetite circuits contained in the hypothalamus, pancreas and also organs sensitive to insulin as muscle, liver and adipose tissue.

Moreover, zebrafish share highly conserved metabolic pathways with mammals, with the added value of larger and statistically significant populations. Fat metabolism is a good example of this high conservation. Indeed, zebrafish express all main nuclear receptors, lipid transporters, apolipoproteins, and enzymes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Even the activity of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which is naturally deficient in rodents, is detected in zebrafish plasma.

At ZeClinics, we have developed diet-based models of several metabolic disorders, including atherosclerosis, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and obesity. These models are valuable tools for the in vivo study of metabolic processes and the development of pathological conditions in different developmental stages of zebrafish. Larval, juvenile and adult models are available according to your needs.

You would be able to evaluate the following relevant parameters:

Cholesterol accumulation.

Hepatic steatosis: fat accumulation in the liver.

Lipid accumulation and distribution (visceral fat).

Body Mass Index (BMI).

View our Metabolic Disease Models services