The zebrafish as a tool in leukemia research

Abstract

The zebrafish has proven to be a valuable vertebrate model in which to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of various diseases. A high degree of genetic and morphological similarity in hematopoiesis between the zebrafish and human indicates that zebrafish can provide valuable knowledge about the mechanisms behind pathogenesis of leukemia. To date, a small number of zebrafish leukemia models have been published and they have already provided some interesting information. However, the full potential of these models, especially the identification of contributing genetic factors and high-throughput drug screens, is yet to be fulfilled. Further transgenic or mutant animals are needed, especially for modeling high-risk leukemias, such as MLL rearranged infant leukemias.