Zebrafish models of germ cell tumor

Abstract

Germ cell tumors are neoplasms arising from pluripotent germ cells. In humans, these tumors occur in infants, children and young adults. The tumors display a wide range of histologic differentiation states which exhibit different clinical behaviors. Information about the molecular basis of germ cell tumors, and representative animal models of these neoplasms, are lacking. Germline development in zebrafish and humans is broadly conserved, making the fish a useful model to probe the connections between germ cell development and tumorigenesis. Here, we provide an overview of germline development and a brief review of germ cell tumor biology in humans and zebrafish. We also outline some methods for studying the zebrafish germline.