Real time monitoring of superoxide generation in zebrafish liver using a sensitive fiber-optic probe

The genetic feature of zebrafish is similar to that of mammal, which renders zebrafish an emerging animal model for biotechnology. A recently discovered circularly permuted yellow fluorescent protein (cpYFP) is a superoxide-specific indicator. We specifically transfect the cpYFP into the liver of zebrafish and use a fiber-optic fluorescent probe to conduct noninvasive monitoring of superoxide concentrations in the fish liver in vivo in real time. Several superoxide-generating and scavenging reagents are tested. The time courses of superoxide concentration variations are presented. This technique can be used as a high throughput pharmaceutical test platform.