In recent years, the zebrafish has become a powerful model not only for the developmental biology studies, but also for genetic analyses and drug screenings, mostly thanks to the ease with which its embryos can be manipulated and to its translucent body, which allows in vivo imaging. In this chapter, we will provide an overview of the current knowledge about the role of thyroid hormone receptors during zebrafish embryonic development. Moreover, we will explore the methodologies applied to zebrafish biology to knock down a gene of interest and to analyze in vivo the molecular mechanisms of the mutated receptors.
Keywords: THRA; THRB; Thyroid hormone; Thyroid hormone receptor; Zebrafish.