TitleRapid well-plate assays for motor and social behaviors in larval zebrafish.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsShen, Q, Truong, L, Simonich, MT, Huang, C, Tanguay, RL, Dong, Q
JournalBehav Brain Res
Volume391
Pagination112625
Date Published2020 Aug 05
ISSN1872-7549
KeywordsAnimals, Automation, Laboratory, Behavior, Animal, Embryo, Nonmammalian, High-Throughput Screening Assays, Larva, Motor Activity, Phenotype, Social Behavior, Zebrafish, Zebrafish Proteins
Abstract

Behavior phenotypes are a powerful means of uncovering subtle xenobiotic chemical impacts on vertebrate nervous system development. Rodents manifest complex and informative behavior phenotypes but are generally not practical models in which to screen large numbers of chemicals. Zebrafish recapitulate much of the behavioral complexity of higher vertebrates, develop externally and are amenable to assay automation. Short duration automated assays can be leveraged to screen large numbers of chemicals or comprehensive dose-response for fewer chemicals. Here we describe a series of mostly automated assays including larval photomotor response, strobe light response, blue color avoidance, shoaling and mirror stimulus-response performed on the ZebraBox (ViewPoint Behavior Technologies) instrument platform. To explore the sensitivity and uniqueness of each assay endpoint, larval cohorts from 5 to 28 days post fertilization were acutely exposed to several chemicals broadly understood to impact different neuro-activities. We highlight the throughput advantages of using the same instrument platform for multiple assays and the ability of different assays to detect unique phenotypes among different chemicals.

DOI10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112625
Alternate JournalBehav Brain Res
PubMed ID32428631
PubMed Central IDPMC7341899
Grant ListP42 ES016465 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States