Zebrafish models of p53 functions

Zebrafish models have significantly contributed to our understanding of vertebrate develop-ment and, more recently, human disease. The growing number of genetic tools available in zebrafish research has resulted in the identification of many genes involved in developmental and disease processes. In particular, studies in the zebrafish have clarified roles of the p53 tumor suppressor in the formation of specific tumor types, as well as roles of p53 family members during embryonic development. The zebrafish has also been instrumental in identifying novel mechanisms of p53 regulation and highlighting the importance of these mechanisms in vivo. This article will summarize how zebrafish models have been used to reveal numerous, important aspects of p53 function. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a small modelorganism that has long been used to study vertebrate development. Zebrafish embryos are optically clear and develop externally to the mother, facilitating the study of early develop-mental processes. In addition, zebrafish have increasingly been used in modeling human dis