Big pond
They may be small fry in the fish world, but a tropical fish species could hold the key to unlocking the secrets of human regeneration.
The humble zebra fish is being studied by Monash Univeristy scientists in a bid to understand why it can repair muscle tissue, but humans cannot - despite sharing common ancestors.
Tiny, they dart and flash striking colours of blue, gold and silver. Freshwater tropical zebra fish are common in amateur aquariums in Australia, the US and Japan -- but now they are revolutionising medical research.
Monash University's newly appointed deputy director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Professor Peter Currie, has been researching zebra fish since 1993, working in London and more recently at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney.
The fish, just six centimetres long, provide a window to human genetics and a path to new regenerative medicine techniques.
"Fossilised relics show us that humans evolved from fish and at a genetic and developmental level, there are still many similarities," Professor Currie said.
"One of the key areas of research is in determining how muscles grow and develop and zebra fish have a very similar muscle development program to humans - yet they are better than humans at repairing damaged muscle tissue."
The main point of difference between the zebra fish repair system and that of humans is that zebra fish can not only repair damaged tissue; they can also regenerate new muscle fibres, such as skin, fins, the heart and in the larval stage, the brain.
In addition to this amazing regenerative ability, zebra fish have other characteristics which make them excellent research candidates.
Like all fish, a zebra fish embryo develops outside of the mother's body, but because the zebra fish embryo is uniquely transparent, it allows researchers to see very clearly how it grows and develops. Then there is the pace of development; it takes just 48 hours for the embryo to grow from a single cell to a hatchling.
"This research has the potential to solve some of the questions surrounding human diseases which are couched in genetic make up."
Professor Peter Currie
Female zebra fish produce numerous eggs (up to 500 per spawning) which are relatively large, making it easier for scientists to utilise DNA technologies and compare outcomes from the same clutch.
"Zebra fish offer researchers an insight into a range of things that previously weren't able to be investigated," Professor Currie said. "The fish is a powerful model system that allows us to study how genes control embryonic development. This research has the potential to solve some of the questions surrounding human diseases which are couched in genetic make up."
As part of construction of the new Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, a dedicated $3.8m zebra fish aquarium is being built at Monash University's Clayton campus. It includes 5000 fish tanks, a 1000 tank quarantine room and laboratory space.
"The long-term research goal is to learn from our findings so that we can benefit patients inflicted with muscle wasting disease or who have lost or damaged muscle through injury," Professor Currie said.
"Heart attack survivors could also benefit because their damaged heart muscle could regenerate."
"It is one step at a time and I am confident, given the enormous support the University has invested in the research team, that we are achieving all that we possibly can to advance medical science.
"We have a very promising future," Professor Currie said.
Visit the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute website.