Academic Journal
Zebrafish as a versatile model in biomedical research, from disease modeling to regenerative medicine: a review.
| Title: | Zebrafish as a versatile model in biomedical research, from disease modeling to regenerative medicine: a review. |
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| Authors: | Heydari SF; Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, New Health Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Abedi A; Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, New Health Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Mirnejad AM; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran., Kooshki H; Nanobiotechnology Research Center, New Health Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Moosazadeh Moghaddam M; Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, New Health Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mm.genetics@gmail.com. |
| Source: | Fish physiology and biochemistry [Fish Physiol Biochem] 2026 Jul 23; Vol. 52 (4). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 23. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 100955049 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-5168 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09201742 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Fish Physiol Biochem Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Dordrecht ; Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers Original Publication: Amsterdam ; Berkeley : Kugler, 1986- |
| MeSH Terms: | Zebrafish*/physiology , Zebrafish*/genetics , Regenerative Medicine* , Disease Models, Animal* , Biomedical Research*, Animals ; Humans ; Biocompatible Materials |
| Abstract: | Zebrafish are an effective animal model widely utilized in biomedical research. They are known for their rapid reproduction and substantial genetic similarity to humans. Their transparent embryos directly enable the visualization of developmental processes and disease progression. This makes zebrafish invaluable for studying a broad range of human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. Compared with other vertebrate models, zebrafish offer several advantages, including ease of genome editing, cost-effective maintenance, and suitability for high-throughput drug screening. Recent advancements have expanded the use of zebrafish in disease modeling and regenerative medicine, providing deeper insights into the genetic and cellular mechanisms underlying human pathologies. Zebrafish provide a robust platform for evaluating the safety, efficacy, and regenerative potential of both natural and synthetic biomaterials, including hydroxyapatite, bioactive glass nanoparticles, and bioceramics. This capability facilitates the creation of artificial tissues that closely resemble native structures. Additionally, integrating artificial intelligence technologies has improved automated data analysis and phenotyping in zebrafish studies, enhancing both accuracy and throughput. This review highlights current applications of zebrafish in disease modeling, drug discovery, regenerative medicine, and biomaterial assessment, emphasizing their evolving role as a versatile preclinical platform supported by advanced genetic and computational tools. (© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable for this article. This article is without human or animal-based experiments. Consent for publication: The manuscript does not contain the individual person’s data. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Animal model; Artificial intelligence; Disease modeling; Drug screening; Patient-derived xenograft; Regenerative medicine; Zebrafish |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Biocompatible Materials) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260723 Date Completed: 20260723 Latest Revision: 20261008 |
| Update Code: | 20261008 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10695-026-01748-3 |
| PMID: | 42489951 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1573-5168 |
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| DOI: | 10.1007/s10695-026-01748-3 |