International Journal of Molecular Zoology 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 31-43 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmz 34 the application prospects of zebrafish have further expanded, especially in understanding the complexity of life processes and fine regulatory mechanisms. The fertilization and embryonic development process of zebrafish is an ideal model for studying fertilization and early embryonic development. Its developmental cycle is short, and embryonic development can be observed only a few hours after fertilization (Figure 3). Using single-cell omics techniques, especially single-cell transcriptomics, can accurately track gene expression changes at various stages from fertilized eggs to blastocysts, gastrulae, etc., thereby revealing the molecular mechanisms of fertilization process and the regulatory network of early embryo formation. Figure 3 The life cycle of zebrafish (Costa and Shepherd, 2009) The organ development process of zebrafish is also an important research direction in the field of developmental biology. Through genetic modification and single-cell omics analysis, the effects of different genes on organ development can be observed. For example, in pancreatic development, the Pdx1 gene is an essential gene for stabilizing pancreatic islet cells (Wang et al., 2018). By using single-cell RNA sequencing technology, the expression patterns of Pdx1 gene at different developmental stages can be analyzed, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of its impact on the number and function of pancreatic islet cells. The nervous system development of zebrafish is very similar to other model organisms in vertebrates, but its growth rate is fast and it is still relatively simple in the early stages of nervous system development. This makes zebrafish an ideal choice for studying the mechanisms of neural development. By using single-cell omics techniques, the distribution sequence of neurons, the morphology and movement status of nerve cells, and the spontaneous activity of neurons can be studied, thereby revealing the precise process of neural system construction. The zebrafish experiment has the characteristics of fast and efficient in vitro experiments, as well as good correlation and high predictability in mammalian experiments, making it a unique advantage in drug screening and toxicology research. Undoubtedly, zebrafish, as a model organism, has important value in single-cell omics research, providing scientists with in-depth understanding of biological systems and offering new strategies and methods for drug discovery and disease treatment. Wagner et al. (2018) sequenced the transcriptome of over 90000 cells during zebrafish development, revealing the differentiation patterns of cells during axial patterning, embryonic layer formation, and early organ formation. These data and methods pave the way for comprehensive reconstruction of transcriptional trajectories during development.
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