Zebrafish is crucial in the fields of solid organ preservation and transplantation, especially in experimental transplant research. Using this model, scientists discovered a chemical combination suitable for preserving various organs during prolonged freezing prior to transplantation.

Organ Preservation

The study, which was published in The FASEB Journal, used a variety of methods, including assays at multiple developmental stages, techniques for loading and unloading agents, and viability scores to quantify organ function. Scientists were able to conduct the most extensive and comprehensive screening of cryoprotectant agents, assessing their toxicity and effectiveness in preserving complex organ systems at -10°C, using these methods. As a result, after 5 days of storage, the cardiac function of adult zebrafish hearts was successfully preserved.

"Zebrafish are a powerful model system that has never been used in the context of solid organ preservation for transplantation, despite several advantages," said corresponding author Shannon N. Tessier, Ph.D., of the Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School. "We hope this research will encourage others in transplantation sciences to leverage this important model organism."