Zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenograft (zPDX): A Cancer Model

- A xenograft is an organ or tissue taken from one species and transplanted into another. A patient-derived xenograft, or PDX, is a cancer model in which tissue from a patient's tumor is implanted into an immunodeficient animal, such as a zebrafish larva whose immune system is not fully developed, to study tumor progression or drug efficacy. First, anaesthetize 48-hour post fertilization larvae in tricaine solution, and transfer a larva to an injection plate containing agarose made with E3 medium.

Next, load the suspension of the patient graft cells and transfer into a microcapillary needle. Under a microscope inject the cells into the larva's yolk sac using a microcapillary needle. Now, culture the injected larvae in E3 solution containing glucose and L glutamine, which supports the high energy demands of the xenograft cells.

For drug treatment transfer the xenografted larvae to a well plate, divide the wells into groups based on the number and doses of compounds that need to be tested, and add the compounds. Include a control group. Incubate the treated larvae at 32 degrees Celsius before observing treatment results.

In the following protocol, we will study the drugs gemcitabine