Zebrafish and Melanoma

Zebrafish are an excellent model for studying melanoma, a cancer of pigment-producing melanocytes. Like humans, zebrafish have melanocytes that help protect them from the sun. These melanocytes form their characteristic stripes. Specific genetic changes in melanocytes cause melanoma in patients. These same genetic changes cause melanoma in zebrafish. Zebrafish and patient melanoma genetics are remarkably similar.