Genetic and pharmacological research on aging is hampered by the lifespan of available vertebrate models. We recently initiated studies on Nothobranchius furzeri, a species with a maximum life expectancy in captivity of just three months which represents the shortest documented captive lifespan for a vertebrate. Further research on N. furzeri has demonstrated that1.Short lifespan is tied with explosive growth and accelerated sexual maturation.2.Short lifespan is correlated with expression of age-related behavioral and histological changes.3.Lifespan and expression of age-related markers can be modulated by water temperature.4.Resveratrol, a drug characterized for its life-extending action in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, increases lifespan and retards expression of age-related markers.5.Aging-related genes can be easily isolated by homology cloning. Finally, different populations or species of Nothobranchius show large-scale differences in captive lifespan. In the last three years, N. furzeri has moved from biological curiosity to a promising model system for drug validation. Furthermore, this species occupies a favorable position in the Teleost's "tree of life". It is very close to the Japanese Medaka, and close to the pufferfishes and stickleback and might represent a very useful model for comparative genomics of aging.

The short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri as a new model system for aging studies

Terzibasi Tozzini, Eva;Cellerino, Alessandro
2007

Abstract

Genetic and pharmacological research on aging is hampered by the lifespan of available vertebrate models. We recently initiated studies on Nothobranchius furzeri, a species with a maximum life expectancy in captivity of just three months which represents the shortest documented captive lifespan for a vertebrate. Further research on N. furzeri has demonstrated that1.Short lifespan is tied with explosive growth and accelerated sexual maturation.2.Short lifespan is correlated with expression of age-related behavioral and histological changes.3.Lifespan and expression of age-related markers can be modulated by water temperature.4.Resveratrol, a drug characterized for its life-extending action in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, increases lifespan and retards expression of age-related markers.5.Aging-related genes can be easily isolated by homology cloning. Finally, different populations or species of Nothobranchius show large-scale differences in captive lifespan. In the last three years, N. furzeri has moved from biological curiosity to a promising model system for drug validation. Furthermore, this species occupies a favorable position in the Teleost's "tree of life". It is very close to the Japanese Medaka, and close to the pufferfishes and stickleback and might represent a very useful model for comparative genomics of aging.
2007
Settore BIO/09 - Fisiologia
Accelerated aging; aging biomarkers; evolution of aging; genomics of aging; pharmacology of aging; resveratrol
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Terzibasi 2007.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Tipologia: Published version
Licenza: Non pubblico
Dimensione 1.5 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.5 MB Adobe PDF   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11384/14550
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 36
  • Scopus 114
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 107
  • OpenAlex ND
social impact