Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo as a platform for the identification of novel angiogenesis inhibitors of retinal vascular diseases

Pathological angiogenesis of the retina is a main cause of blindness. Therapeutic approaches targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, a main angiogenesis inducer in retinal vascular diseases, show significant limitations. Thus, experimental models of retinal neovascularization remain crucial for investigating novel anti-angiogenic strategies and bringing them to patients. Recent observations have shown that eye neovascularization in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo may represent a novel target for the identification of angiogenesis inhibitors. This review highlights the use of zebrafish embryo as an innovative model system for the screening of anti-angiogenic molecules to be employed for the treatment of angiogenesis-dependent eye diseases.