Zebrafish

This informative new volume on the reproduction and development of zebrafish provides a timely and fundamental set of chapters presenting new data and critical reviews to the novice student and veteran researcher alike. It covers two major areas of zebrafish biology, reproduction and development, with toxicology emphasised in a number of chapters. Historically, reproductive biology of zebrafish has not been given the attention afforded to the more intensively studied aspects of embryonic development in this model species. In part, this may be due to fewer tools available to zebrafish reproductive biologists. However, with the advent of transparent juvenile and adult lines, new areas of reproduction research become visible both figuratively and literally. Two chapters are devoted to presenting these exciting new fish lines and examples of their use in research to the reproductive biology research community. Reproduction and embryonic development are a continuum which is emphasised in a new review on RNA-binding proteins in the zebrafish oocyte. It is increasingly clear that embryonic development is dependent upon factors present in the female gamete known collectively as "maternal effects", and these oocyte components are beautifully summarised in this chapter. Other chapters cover normal spawning periodicity and vitellogenic oocyte growth dynamics that should interest ovarian physiologists and those interested in zebrafish husbandry.