Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing
Zebrafish have emerged as a useful model for biomedical research and have been used in environmental toxicology studies. However, the presence of the chorion during the embryo stage limits cellular exposure to toxic elements and creates the possibility of a false-negative or reduced sensitivity in f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/1/49 |
| _version_ | 1797342945868775424 |
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| author | Nusrat Tazin Tamara J. Stevenson Joshua L. Bonkowsky Bruce K. Gale |
| author_facet | Nusrat Tazin Tamara J. Stevenson Joshua L. Bonkowsky Bruce K. Gale |
| author_sort | Nusrat Tazin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Zebrafish have emerged as a useful model for biomedical research and have been used in environmental toxicology studies. However, the presence of the chorion during the embryo stage limits cellular exposure to toxic elements and creates the possibility of a false-negative or reduced sensitivity in fish embryo toxicity testing (FET). This paper presents the use of electroporation as a technique to improve the delivery of toxic elements inside the chorion, increasing the exposure level of the toxins at an early embryo stage (<3 h post-fertilization). A custom-made electroporation device with the required electrical circuitry has been developed to position embryos between electrodes that provide electrical pulses to expedite the entry of molecules inside the chorion. The optimized parameters facilitate material entering into the chorion without affecting the survival rate of the embryos. The effectiveness of the electroporation system is demonstrated using Trypan blue dye and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 20–40 nm). Our results demonstrate the feasibility of controlling the concentration of dye and nanoparticles delivered inside the chorion by optimizing the electrical parameters, including pulse width, pulse number, and amplitude. Next, we tested silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 10 nm), a commonly used toxin that can lower mortality, affect heart rate, and cause phenotypic defects. We found that electroporation of AgNPs reduces the exposure time required for toxicity testing from 4 days to hours. Electroporation for FET can provide rapid entry of potential toxins into zebrafish embryos, reducing the time required for toxicity testing and drug delivery experiments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:40:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-993caeae3448463b974d0de046308fc6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:40:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-993caeae3448463b974d0de046308fc62024-01-26T17:43:26ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-12-011514910.3390/mi15010049Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity TestingNusrat Tazin0Tamara J. Stevenson1Joshua L. Bonkowsky2Bruce K. Gale3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USAZebrafish have emerged as a useful model for biomedical research and have been used in environmental toxicology studies. However, the presence of the chorion during the embryo stage limits cellular exposure to toxic elements and creates the possibility of a false-negative or reduced sensitivity in fish embryo toxicity testing (FET). This paper presents the use of electroporation as a technique to improve the delivery of toxic elements inside the chorion, increasing the exposure level of the toxins at an early embryo stage (<3 h post-fertilization). A custom-made electroporation device with the required electrical circuitry has been developed to position embryos between electrodes that provide electrical pulses to expedite the entry of molecules inside the chorion. The optimized parameters facilitate material entering into the chorion without affecting the survival rate of the embryos. The effectiveness of the electroporation system is demonstrated using Trypan blue dye and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 20–40 nm). Our results demonstrate the feasibility of controlling the concentration of dye and nanoparticles delivered inside the chorion by optimizing the electrical parameters, including pulse width, pulse number, and amplitude. Next, we tested silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 10 nm), a commonly used toxin that can lower mortality, affect heart rate, and cause phenotypic defects. We found that electroporation of AgNPs reduces the exposure time required for toxicity testing from 4 days to hours. Electroporation for FET can provide rapid entry of potential toxins into zebrafish embryos, reducing the time required for toxicity testing and drug delivery experiments.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/1/49toxicity testingmicroinjectionelectroporationzebrafish embryonanoparticles |
| spellingShingle | Nusrat Tazin Tamara J. Stevenson Joshua L. Bonkowsky Bruce K. Gale Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing Micromachines toxicity testing microinjection electroporation zebrafish embryo nanoparticles |
| title | Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing |
| title_full | Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing |
| title_fullStr | Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing |
| title_short | Using Electroporation to Improve and Accelerate Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Testing |
| title_sort | using electroporation to improve and accelerate zebrafish embryo toxicity testing |
| topic | toxicity testing microinjection electroporation zebrafish embryo nanoparticles |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/1/49 |
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