Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC)
(Source: M. Westerfield from Zebrafish Book 5th Edition)
Research emphasis and objectives
The Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) is housed on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene. Its mission is to provide a central repository for wild-type and mutant strains of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and for materials and information about zebrafish research. Materials and zebrafish strains are distributed to the research community. Pathology services are provided for diseased fish. Standards and procedures for maintaining healthy strains of zebrafish are being developed and a manual, Diseases of Zebrafish in Research Facilities, for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting zebrafish, is available.
Resources provided
Animals: Healthy stocks of zebrafish and frozen sperm are maintained and distributed to the research community. Strains of wild-type fish and lines carrying mutations and transgenes are accepted from the research community, maintained, and distributed upon request. Embryos preserved in fixative at various developmental stages are available from these lines for histological, biochemical, or molecular biological studies. Researchers are welcome to visit the Resource Center to screen the collection for mutations of interest or to learn procedures.
Animal health: Advice about zebrafish health is provided. Diseased fish and tissue samples may be sent to the Resource Center for pathology analysis. The Resource Center maintains the manual, Diseases of Zebrafish in Research Facilities, that describes diseases of importance to laboratory zebrafish culture. For more detailed information visit:
Biological materials: Antibodies, gene probes, and other markers to analyze wild-type and mutant stocks as well as zebrafish cell lines are received, stored, and distributed.
Informatics: An on-line database, ZFIN, of information about zebrafish research is maintained including information about zebrafish genetics, genomics, and development. Information about the resources and services provided by the Resource Center are available as well as a listing of zebrafish researchers, laboratories, and publications. ZFIN provides links to related information about genes in humans and other species-specific databases. Researchers can use ZFIN to register and submit to the nomenclature committee new names for mutant alleles and for genes identified by molecular cloning.
Fees: Nominal fees are charged for these materials and services:
Acknowledging materials and services: The Zebrafish International ResourceCenter is supported by grant #RR12546 from the NIH-NCRR. Please acknowledge the Zebrafish International Resource Center and this grant number in all publications resulting from the materials and/or services we are providing to you. Thank you.
For questions or comments, contact:
Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC)5274 University of OregonEugene, OR 97403-5274USA
Phone: (541) 346-6028 Email: zirc@zebrafish.org
More detailed information