FISHING FOR GENES-CONTROLLING DEVELOPMENT

In recent years, the zebrafish has become a popular system for studyin g vertebrate development. Large scale mutant searches have led to the identification of >400 genes with unique functions during embryonic an d larval development. A number of these genes play important roles in well studied processes, such as dorsoventral patterning of the early e mbryo, notochord formation and signaling, somitogenesis and neural spe cification. Other newly identified genes offer opportunities to invest igate less well understood processes, including locomotion behavior, o rganogenesis, neural crest development and axonal pathfinding.