Fish take their revenge: alternative models for modern neurobiology.

The last decade witnessed an “explosion” in neurobiological research. Part of this success is due to the rapid development of molecular biology techniques which gave a substantial contribution, becoming an extraordinarily powerful tool in researcher’s hands and opening new perspectives unimaginable before. The increasing interest about neurobiology significantly derives from facing serious pathologies, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and brain injury. Undoubtedly, this challenge gave a huge impulse to studies performed on mammalian models, seen as privileged points of reference for humans. Nevertheless, vertebrate models other than mammalian ones, were already known and successfully utilized as simpler, but complete, experimental materials.