Zebrafish helped scientists understand the relationship between low calcium levels and the development of colon cancer, Cell Death and Differentiation reports.
Danio is a small aquarium fish that is often used as a model in genetic research. Currently, scientists from the University of Michigan analyzed these fish in the early larval stage.
Scientists used a fluorescent protein to label those epithelial tissue cells responsible for calcium absorption. These cells behave similarly in humans, except that in developing fish they are located outside, while in humans they line the stomach and intestines.
Thanks to this, researchers were able to identify the process leading to the pathological growth of colon cells, which may lead to the development of neoplastic changes in individuals with calcium deficiency.
When the fish were placed in calcium-free water, the growth factor was activated, strongly stimulating division and growth of epithelial cells. At that time, the TRPV5 and TRPV6 calcium channels played an important role, which are a mechanism that enables survival in conditions of this element deficiency.
– Animals and humans cannot survive without adequate amounts of calcium, so regulating calcium absorption is crucial. Understanding the mechanisms underlying uncontrolled growth of gut cells is the first step in developing drugs to prevent this, says Cunming Duan, author of the study.