Alcohol-Induced Developmental Defects in Zebrafish Embryos

Publication Date

2026

Presentation Length

Poster/Gallery presentation

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Sciences and Neurosciences, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Jinhee Park

Metadata/Fulltext

Fulltext

Presentation Type

Poster

Summary

Zebrafish are a ideal model organisms on account for the many similarities they share with human biology. Their transparent embryos allow researchers to easily observe developmental stages and identify defects. Zebrafish are also useful for studying how environmental factors, such as alcohol, affect embryonic development.

In this study, I examined developmental changes in zebrafish embryos exposed to 0.5%, 1%, and 2% alcohol. Alcohol-treated embryos showed a smaller lens size and noticeable cardiac edema compared to control embryos, consistent with results observed in previous student experiments. To investigate whether alcohol also affects vascular development, I used the transgenic line Tg[kdrl:GFP], where endothelial cells express green fluorescent protein to visualize blood vessels. However, no clear differences in vascular development were observed between control and alcohol-treated groups.

This study also aimed to determine whether defects in the lens and eye occur earlier than changes in vascular development. The results suggest that defects in the eye and heart appear first, while vascular changes were not clearly detected under these conditions. Future studies will test higher alcohol concentrations and longer exposure times to better understand these effects.

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