Bone Biology: From a to Zebrafish

Even though humans look different from other animals like fish, birds, or snakes, we all have a skeleton that gives our bodies shape, protects our internal organs from harm, and helps us move. Animals with a skeleton and a backbone are called vertebrates. Because all skeletons are built from bones, scientists can learn a lot about human bones by studying them in other vertebrates, including fish. Zebrafish are one vertebrate used by scientists to study how bones are made, age, and are repaired by the body. One cool fact about zebrafish is that they can regrow their tails, including the bones, if they get bitten off by another fish. Scientists can also use zebrafish to learn how new medicines can maintain bone health, or how to fix bones after an accident or disease. In this article, we will discuss how scientists can work with zebrafish to learn about bone biology and health.