How Are Fish Used In Research

Since the early 1990s, fish have been increasingly used in biomedical research as models of human development and disease, in toxicity testing as subjects for measuring harmful effects of chemicals, and in aquaculture research to expand the farming of fish for food

Why are fish used for research?

Fish research and more specifically research in aquaculture helps address questions regarding environmental pollution, conservation, and protection of the freshwater estuarine and marine environment Fish are increasingly used in the laboratory as animal models in toxicology

What are fish used for in testing?

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) provides researchers with a way to visualize and map the genetic material in an individual’s cells, including specific genes or portions of genes This may be used for understanding a variety of chromosomal abnormalities and other genetic mutations

What is fish in research?

Fish research is a branch of zoology known as ichthyology Scientists who specifically study fish are called ichthyologists There are three distinct groups of fish that ichthyologists study: bony fish, cartilaginous fish, and jawless fish At that time, Artedi recognized 230 species of fish

Can you experiment on fish?

Fishes exist in myriad forms and have developed many unique physiological, behavioral, and ecological specializations Fishes occupy a variety of niches in virtually every kind of aquatic habitat Understanding their biology simply cannot be accomplished in the absence of experimentation with live, intact animals

Does animal testing include fish?

Shockingly, in the USA rats, mice, fish, amphibians and birds are not defined as animals under animal experiment regulations That means no legal permission to experiment on them is needed and they are not included in any statistics

What animals are used for testing?

Animals used in experiments include baboons, cats, cows, dogs, ferrets, fish, frogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, horses, llamas, mice, monkeys (such as marmosets and macaques), owls, pigs, quail, rabbits, rats and sheep

How does a FISH work?

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a laboratory technique for detecting and locating a specific DNA sequence on a chromosome The technique relies on exposing chromosomes to a small DNA sequence called a probe that has a fluorescent molecule attached to it

What mutations can FISH detect?

From a medical perspective, FISH can be applied to detect genetic abnormalities such as characteristic gene fusions, aneuploidy, loss of a chromosomal region or a whole chromosome or to monitor the progression of an aberration serving as a technique that can help in both the diagnosis of a genetic disease or suggesting Feb 27, 2010

How accurate is FISH test?

Accuracy and limitations Prenatal interphase FISH testing is highly accurate, with reported false-positive and -negative rates usually less than 1% The main problem, however, is that not all specimens are informative Uninformative rates will vary among laboratories, but rates of 3% to 10% are considered typical

What type of scientist studies fish?

Ichthyology is a branch of zoology that deals with the study of fish and other marine life Ichthyologists are also called marine biologists or fish scientists They discover and study new and existing species of fish, their environment and behavior3 days ago

What is the scientific title for fish?

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha)

What is a fish biologist called?

An ichthyologist is a fish biologist

How are animals used in research?

Animals are used in scientific research to help us understand our own bodies and how they work This is necessary to develop new medicines Animals are also used to safety test potential medicines before they are tested in people and to check the safety of other chemicals

How do you sacrifice fish?

Humane killing requires that the fish is stunned (rendered instantaneously insensible) before being bled out Fish should remain in water until immediately prior to stunning There are two methods that can be used to stun fish caught by hand: percussive stunning and spiking (also known as pithing or iki-jime)

How animals are treated in animal testing?

Animals are deliberately sickened with toxic chemicals or infected with diseases, live in barren cages and are typically killed when the experiment ends Humans and animals are very different, so outdated animal experiments often produce results that cannot accurately predict human responses

Why are fish used in animal testing?

The Japanese medaka is one of the most commonly used fish models for carcinogenicity testing Fish are also used in environmental toxicity testing to measure the effects of exposure to chemicals or pollution in the environment Similarly, fish are also used as sentinels of environmental contamination

Should animals be used for research?

The use of animals in research is essential for enabling researchers to develop new drugs and treatments Animal models help ensure the effectiveness and safety of new treatments Alternative methods of research do not simulate humans and whole body systems in the same way and are not as reliable

Why animals should be used for testing?

By studying animals, it is possible to obtain information that cannot be learned in any other way Instead, the drug or technique is tested in animals to make sure that it is safe and effective Animals also offer experimental models that would be impossible to replicate using human subjects

How many animals are killed by animal testing each year?

Each year, more than 100 million animals—including mice, rats, frogs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, monkeys, fish, and birds—are killed in US laboratories for biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing

What does PETA stand for?

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation is a UK-based charity dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals

What are the most commonly used species for animal research?

Mice and rats make up approximately 95% of all laboratory animals, with mice the most commonly used animal in biomedical research

What is the importance of FISH?

Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin) Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet

What is the principle of FISH technique?

Principle Involved in Fish The basic principle involved is hybridization of nuclear DNA of either interphase cells or of metaphase chromosomes affixed to a microscopic slide, with a nucleic acid probe The probes are either labeled indirectly with a hapten or directly through incorporation of a fluorophore

What is FISH chromosome analysis?

Fluorescence in SITU hybridization (FISH) is a procedure that essentially creates a map of the genetic material in human cells, allowing cytogeneticists to locate specific DNA sequences on a chromosome The process can give useful insight in the understanding of certain genetic mutations and chromosomal abnormalities