The zebrafish notochord is comprised of large fluid-filled vacuoles. The notochord acts as a hydrostatic skeleton for the embryo early in development and works to elongate the embryo along the anterior-posterior axis. Later during development the notochord provides a rigid framework for bone deposition during spine formation. We have shown that when notochord vacuoles are disrupted, the embryos are shorter and the spine develops kinks, similar to those seen in scoliosis patients. Using zebrafish we are studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling notochord vacuole biogenesis and how the notochord acts a hydrostatic scaffold during spine formation. These studies provide a framework for the understanding of the developmental roles of the vertebrate notochord and the etiology of scoliosis.



Tg(rcn3:GFP-CaaX);
Tg(hsp70l:lamp1-RFP)
An RFP-tagged lysosomal protein labels the notochord vacuoles.
Live DIC image of notochord vacuoles at 24 hpf
Live confocal image of a wildtype spine and a fish with disrupted notochord vacuoles