Abstract:

ABSTRACT Zebrafish has emerged as a new vertebrate model system for kidney research. Zebrafish kidney is structurally, molecularly and functionally conserved, and the rendering zebrafish is a valuable and relevant model for studying kidney development and diseases. In this paper, the biological characteristics of zebrafish kidney, as well as its potential model for human kidney development and diseases are reviewed. At last, the prospects of zebrafish in functional genomics research are also discussed.

Key words: zebrafish, nephrogenesis, kidney disease, podocyte, acute kidney disease