Meet the tiny, see-through fish that can regenerate its brain
Summary
Dr. Dennis Adebay explains how the transparent micro glassfish, Danionella, is becoming a new model organism for studying brain regeneration, aided by a single-cell atlas of its body. Dr. Alejandro Sanchez Alvarado discusses how this fish complements existing models like planarians and highlights the potential for reprogramming differentiated cells to repair tissue, offering insights into neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Poster House and NYU Skirball
Introduction to the micro glassfish model organism
Dr. Ottebay's discovery and establishing the lab colony
Unique traits: vocalizations and breeding challenges
Confirming regeneration capabilities and miniaturization
Creating a single-cell spatial atlas of the fish
Using the atlas to study brain regeneration niches
HHMI investment and the significance of the new model
Key research questions: mechanics and neural activity
Potential medical applications and neurodegenerative disease
Sponsors: Planet Visionaries and Mohonk Mountain House
Dr. Sanchez Alvarado: Advantages of transparency
Caveats: Progenesis and the 'adult larva' status
Cellular plasticity and identity swapping in regeneration
Natural examples: Salamander eyes and immortal jellyfish
The importance of biological diversity in research
Credits and closing sponsor: Poster House
Listen ad-free on Castria