MDI Biological Laboratory Researchers Develop New Zebrafish Model to Study Muscle Atrophy
Associate Professor Romain Madelaine, Ph.D., doctoral candidate Romain Menard, and colleagues at the MDI Biological Laboratory have developed a new transgenic zebrafish model to study muscle atrophy, a condition associated with aging and neuromuscular disease.
In a study published in PLOS Genetics, the research team describes the creation of the “atrofish,” a zebrafish engineered to induce rapid muscle degeneration by activating Atrogin-1 (Fbxo32) in skeletal muscle. The model exhibits reduced muscle strength and impaired movement, allowing researchers to observe early molecular and cellular changes that occur before visible muscle deterioration.
In addition to muscle loss, the findings suggest that muscle atrophy may be linked to broader changes in neuromuscular connections and spinal cord neurons. This zebrafish model provides a powerful new tool for investigating the mechanisms underlying sarcopenia and for testing potential therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving muscle health.
Read the full article in PLOS Genetics.
https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012019