Zebrafish as a Model to Study Retinoic Acid Signaling in Development and Disease

Retinoic acid (RA) is a metabolite of vitamin A (retinol) that plays various roles in development to influence differentiation, patterning, and organogenesis. RA also serves as a crucial homeostatic regulator in adult tissues. The role of RA and its associated pathways are well conserved from zebrafish to humans in both development and disease. This makes the zebrafish a natural model for further interrogation into the functions of RA and RA-associated maladies for the sake of basic research, as well as human health. In this review, we explore both foundational and recent studies using zebrafish as a translational model for investigating RA from the molecular to the organismal scale.

Automated summary

Retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A, plays a significant role in development, influencing differentiation, patterning, and organogenesis. The conservation of RA and its pathways from zebrafish to humans makes zebrafish a valuable translational model for investigating the functions of RA and associated diseases. This review explores both foundational and recent studies using zebrafish to understand RA at the molecular and organismal level.