Differential Roles of Diet on Development and Spinal Cord Regeneration in Larval Zebrafish

This study investigates how different diets affect the growth and spinal cord regeneration in larval zebrafish. The researchers compared three diets: live rotifers, a commercial powder diet, and a nutritive media. The study found that zebrafish fed a live rotifer diet grew significantly more and had better spinal cord regeneration compared to those fed a commercial diet. The nutritive media also supported regeneration, but not growth. The results highlight the importance of standardizing diets in zebrafish research to improve the consistency and reliability of experimental results, as different diets can lead to different outcomes in growth and regeneration.

• 1
  Larvae fed a live rotifer diet grew 32% in length, while those fed a commercial diet only grew 4%.
• 2
  Over 80% of rotifer-fed larvae formed a glial bridge after spinal cord injury, compared to less than 10% of those fed the commercial diet.
• 3
  Nutritive media supported spinal cord regeneration but did not encourage growth, suggesting different nutritional requirements for development and regeneration.