Life in a 96-well plate

Zebrafish larvae are tiny, see-through and quick to breed, which makes them stars of drug and gene screening. ZFIN is the place for strains and genetics.

Set-up

One larva per well in a 48 or 96 well plate, lit from below, often with infrared so you can switch between light and dark.

What to measure

• Distance moved in each time bin.
• Bursts of activity and bouts of rest.
• Responses to light-dark switches or sound.

Tips from the bench

• Keep the temperature tightly controlled.
• Randomise well positions across groups.
• Give the larvae time to settle before recording.