Cerebellar Development and Neurogenesis in Zebrafish

Cerebellar organization and function have been studied in numerous species of fish. Fish models such as goldfish, weakly electric fish, and sharks have led to important findings about the cerebellar architecture, cerebellar circuit physiology, and brain evolution. However, most of the studied fish models are not well suited for developmental and genetic studies of the cerebellum. The rapid transparent ex utero development in zebrafish allows direct access and precise visualization of all the major events in cerebellar development. Furthermore, the zebrafish is amenable to high-throughput screening techniques and advanced forward and reverse genetics approaches allowing interrogation and identification of genes and molecules in cerebellar development. The superficial position of the cerebellar primordium and the cerebellum facilitates in vivo imaging and physiological measurements of individual cerebellar cells or circuits. In addition, cerebellar neurogenesis and regeneration can be studied in the adult animal. Taken together, these features have allowed zebrafish to emerge as a complete model for studies of molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms involved in cerebellar development, function, and repair at cell and circuit level.