Functional review of hearing in zebrafish

Abstract Zebrafish are a critical model species for auditory research not only because of the availability of numerous mutant strains but also because they belong to the Ostariophysans, a group with well-developed hearing specializations, and like all teleosts, they have the ability to regenerate hair cells after extensive damage. Zebrafish also add hair cells throughout life as they grow. This chapter focuses on what is known about the function of the auditory system of zebrafish and how the genetic controls of sensory cell develop and function in the animal. I will first take an organismal approach to understand how the auditory system functions in an intact animal and then review what we know about the genes and proteins that code for different aspects of this system. In this way, I hope to form a holistic picture of the function of the auditory system and bring together those interested in zebrafish as a member of a highly diverse group of fishes, as well as those more interested in this species as a model for human development and disease.