斑马鱼(Daniorerio)是研究人类精神障碍的神经生物学基础的重要模型生物。然而,该物种的实用性受到可用表型表征工具的质量的限制。这里,我们提出了一个复杂的测试环境,用于量化成年斑马鱼的探索行为,斑马鱼多变量同心方场™(zMCSF),改编自>40项研究中使用的啮齿动物等价物。该设备由一个中央开放区域组成,该区域被一个带屋顶的黑暗角落(DCR)包围,走廊,和倾斜的坡道。这些区域的照明不同,水深,并受到不同程度的庇护或暴露。我们量化了zMCSF中雄性和雌性野生捕获和AB品系斑马鱼的行为(第1天),并使用新颖的坦克潜水测试(NTDT)(第2天)对这些结果进行了交叉验证。为了评估重复测试的效果,我们在1周后(在第7天和第8天)在两个测试中第二次测试AB斑马鱼。我们检测到菌株之间的强烈差异,野生斑马鱼游得更快,在走廊和坡道上花费更多时间,而他们避开了中心的开放区域。AB斑马鱼不太犹豫进入中心,但避开了坡道,经常留下一个或多个区域未被探索。在这两种菌株中都没有检测到探索行为的主要性别差异,除了之前报道的AB男性的速度略高。重要的是,zMCSF对重复测试有很大的弹性.潜水测试仅显示一种性别的差异;野生雌性比AB雌性访问前三分之一。孤立地,这一发现可以得出野生斑马鱼更冒险的结论,这是不正确的,因为这种应变避免了开放区域。最后,我们的研究结果表明,zMCSF提供了一种复杂的行为工具,可以区分不同程度和类型的风险,允许用户创建单个成年斑马鱼的复杂行为特征。
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important model organism in the study of the neurobiological basis of human mental disorders. Yet the utility of this species is limited by the quality of the phenotypical characterization tools available. Here, we present a complex testing environment for the quantification of explorative behavior in adult zebrafish, the zebrafish Multivariate Concentric Square Field™ (zMCSF), adapted from the rodent equivalent that has been used in > 40 studies. The apparatus consists of a central open area which is surrounded by a dark corner with a roof (DCR), corridors, and an inclined ramp. These areas differ in illumination, water depth, and are sheltered or exposed to different degrees. We quantified behavior of male and female wild-caught and AB strain zebrafish in the zMCSF (day 1) and cross-validated these results using the novel tank diving test (NTDT) (day 2). To assess the effect of repeated testing, AB zebrafish we tested a second time in both tests 1 week later (on days 7 and 8). We detected strong differences between the strains, with wild zebrafish swimming faster and spending more time in the corridors and on the ramp, while they avoided the open area in the center. AB zebrafish were less hesitant to enter the center but avoided the ramp, and often left one or more zones unexplored. No major sex differences in exploratory behavior were detected in either strain, except for a slightly higher velocity of AB males which has been reported before. Importantly, the zMCSF was largely resilient to repeated testing. The diving test revealed only one difference confined to one sex; wild females paid more visits to the top third than AB females. In isolation, this finding could lead to the conclusion that wild zebrafish are more risk-taking, which is incorrect given this strain\'s avoidance of open areas. To conclude, our results suggest that the zMCSF presents a sophisticated behavioral tool that can distinguish between different magnitudes and types of risk, allowing the user to create an intricate behavioral profile of individual adult zebrafish.