Fluorescent proteins in zebrafish cell and developmental biology

The zebrafish is a compelling vertebrate model for understanding cellular processes in the context of the developing embryo and for analysis of cellular defects that lead to diseases such as cancer. Major advances in fluorescent protein technology have been, and will continue to be, combined with novel experimental strategies to explore these biological phenomena. Furthermore, fluorescent proteins can be used in the design of forward genetic and chemical modifier screens of ever increasing sophistication. Here I review three noteworthy applications of fluorescent proteins in zebrafish: (1) analysis of kinesin motor function in the cleaving zebrafish embryo, (2) determination of the roles of semaphorins in axonal guidance, and (3) creation of transgenic models of leukemia and other cancers.