Cancer cell transplantation in zebrafish: From translational research to personalized medicine

Primarily used in genetic studies of development, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has rapidly emerged as a promising animal model of human cancer. Cancer cell transplantation in zebrafish constitutes a key platform for clinical research since it allows to study cellular and molecular events involved in various aspects of tumorigenesis and to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic molecules in vivo. Applied to patient-derived cells, the xenotransplantation approach in zebrafish allows to define the most appropriate therapeutic strategies for specific alterations found in patients in the context of personalized medicine. This review discusses the zebrafish transplantation model for the study of cancer development and drug discovery.