Olfactory-Evoked Activity Assay for Larval Zebrafish

Olfactory responses develop early in larval zebrafish and are important throughout life to direct physiological and behavioral responses. Responses are evoked by odorants, which act as ligands to the olfactory neuron receptors. A response of immediate relevance is the detection of food odors (i.e., amino acids) which fish have an excellent ability to detect. Characterizing responses of fish to distinct odorants, especially during developmental stages, allows for a robust endpoint to compare to genetically or chemically altered organisms. The following protocol describes the use of automated video analysis to detect changes in olfactory function apparent through a simple behavioral endpoint.