Review: The African Turquoise Killifish As A Model For The Integrative Physiology Of Vertebrate Aging
Understanding how and why we age is a fundamental challenge, especially since aging is the primary risk factor for many human diseases like cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Scientists often use animal models to unravel these complex biological processes. While short-lived invertebrates, such as worms and flies, have provided crucial insights into basic aging pathways, they lack many features specific to vertebrates, like a complex immune system or intricate organ structures, which are highly relevant to human aging. On the other hand, traditional vertebrate models, like mice, have much longer lifespans, making comprehensive aging studies time-consuming and expensive. This is where a remarkable creature, the African turquoise killifish, comes into play. This small fish is the shortest-lived vertebrate that can be raised in a laboratory, typically living only 3 to 9 months. This incredibly compressed lifespan allows researchers to study the entire aging process and age-related diseases in a fraction of the time it would take with other vertebrate models. The killifish exhibits many age-related changes similar to those seen in humans, including a decline in muscle function, cognitive abilities, and an increased susceptibility to conditions like cancer and neurodegeneration. Its rapid aging and genetic similarities to humans make it an ideal system for quickly testing potential anti-aging therapies and understanding the genetic and environmental factors that influence longevity and health in vertebrates. Furthermore, this fish has a unique ability to enter a state of suspended animation, called diapause, during its embryonic development, offering additional avenues to explore mechanisms of stress resistance and cellular preservation.
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