INTRODUCTION

Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) are becoming a standard research animal for studying developmental genetics and biomedical research. They are popular because they are diploid vertebrates that are small and easy to culture. They can externally produce hundreds of embryos per photophase spawning that are completely transparent and develop quickly.

The University of Washington Health Sciences Zebrafish Facility was started in the spring of 1996. The facility is used communally by Dr. David Raible who studies neural crest development and Dr. Rachel Wong who studies the development of neural circuitry in the visual system, both are from the Department of Biological Structure. Dr. David Kimelman examines axis patterning, Dr. Jim Hurley and Dr. Susan Brockerhoff both work with eye/visual abnormalities all are with in the Department of Biochemistry. For more information on their work please visit their websites linked on this page.

The fish themselves belong to the family Cyprinidae which is the largest family of fresh water fishes and the second largest family overall of any fish containing between 2,000 ¡V 2,600 cypriniform species. They are endemic in tropical to sub-tropical zones of the Indo-Pacific region, mainly India.

As of September 26, 2005 to gain access to the fish facilities one has to be on a sponsoring principal investigators (PI) approved IACUC protocol, filled out the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) form 604 medical screen, passed the U.W. Animal Use and Training test (renewable every 5 years), and have a valid U.W. photo identification card. Those that provide primary animal care also need to attend an Aquatic Animal Training class and those that need access to the quarantine laboratory located in the Department of Comparative Medicine need to attend a Specific Pathogen Free Training class. To help new researchers through this process I have created a link that walks you through this process, please see the Facility Training Requirements above. If you have any questions contact David White at dgw5079@u.washington.edu