Techniques for the in vivo assessment of cardio-renal function in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Zebrafish, a well-established vertebrate model, offer unique advantages for assessing renal function and physiology. Assays determining renal glomerular function based on cardiovascular erythrocyte flow and reduction of injected FITC-inulin were developed, each validated using the nephrotoxin gentamicin. Bland–Atlman analysis showed a strong association between measurements of the rate of inulin excretion and that of fluorescent reduction from the arterial vasculature. Reduced renal clearance of inulin, resulting from gentamicin or NaCl loading, was concurrent with reduced erythrocyte velocity, and yolk sac and pericardium oedema. These techniques, assessing pronephric function, highlight the potential for in vivo physiological study in this genetically tractable model.