Life spans and senescent phenotypes in two strains of Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Glenn S. Gerhard, Elizabeth J. Kauffman, Xujun Wang, Richard Stewart, Jessica L. Moore, Claudia J. Kasales, Eugene Demidenko, Keith C. Cheng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

212 Scopus citations

Abstract

Zebrafish have become a widely used model organism in developmental biology research. In order to initiate an experimental foundation for aging studies, we have determined some basic gerontological parameters for populations of outbred zebrafish, and the golden sparse strain. Outbred zebrafish manifested a mean life span of about 42 months, with the longest living individual surviving for 66 months. The golden sparse populations had a mean life span of 36 months and a maximum longevity of 58 months. Skeletal length at death increased with age, suggestive of indeterminate growth. A common age-related phenotype was spinal curvature. Radiographic analysis excluded bony changes as the cause of the spinal curvature, suggesting muscle abnormalities as a primary mechanism. These data and a growing abundance of related biological resources suggest that the zebrafish may be a compelling model organism for studies on aging.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1055-1068
Number of pages14
JournalExperimental Gerontology
Volume37
Issue number8-9
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry
  • Aging
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology

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