Evaluation of a Rapid and Simple Method for Assessing Retinal Vessel Structures in Adult Zebrafish

The evaluation of retinal vascular structures is important for analyzing various ophthalmic diseases. Conventional trypsin digestion was used for separating retinal vasculatures in mouse, rat, and other animal models; however, the trypsin method alone is technically difficult to perform and has not been reported in zebrafish to date. In this study, we introduced a rapid and convenient method that allows the investigation of fine vessel structures at a cellular level in the relatively intact retinal vasculature of adult zebrafish. Using an anti-ZO-1 antibody, tight junction structures in retinal vessels were examined in detail and several different cell types constituting blood vessels in arterial and capillary areas were identified. In addition, using cell type-specific antibodies, we identified smooth muscle cells, blood cells, and endothelial cells in the retinal vasculature. Finally, using the hyperglycemic model, we observed the dilation of retinal vessels, the downregulation of tight junction proteins, and the reduction in smooth muscle cells. Based on these results, we provide a rapid and convenient method for the study of retinal vasculature disease in the zebrafish animal model.

Automated summary

The evaluation of retinal vascular structures is crucial for studying ophthalmic diseases. This study introduces a rapid and convenient method to investigate the fine vessel structures in the intact retinal vasculature of adult zebrafish. The method allows for detailed examination of tight junction structures and identification of different cell types in the retinal vasculature. The findings also show the potential of using this method to study retinal vascular diseases in zebrafish models.