Using Zebrafish to Explore Development in a Large Introductory Biology Laboratory Course
Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2018, Volume 39
Jennifer J. Rahn
Abstract
Zebrafish are excellent animal models for undergraduate teaching labs. In addition to being inexpensive,
zebrafish produce hundreds of transparent, rapidly developing embryos. A four-week module using
zebrafish was developed for use in an Introductory Biology laboratory course. Students were given
information about six different chemicals with either known or suspected teratogenic effects in humans: lithium, valproic acid, retinoic acid, ethanol, thalidomide and permethrin. Students selected a chemical of interest and designed an experiment to test the effect of their chosen chemical on zebrafish development. After fixing and storing treated zebrafish, students examined their samples for developmental
abnormalities. Next, students worked together to compile their data, explore connections of their findings to human health, and prepare a 15 minute presentation to be given during the last week of the module. In this
lab, students were able to visualize the consequences of altering early development and make connections
to human developmental abnormalities.
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