How Zebrafish earn their Stripes: A paradigm for Pigmentation Patterning in Vertebrates

The world is a mosaic of delicate tints, intricate patterns and brilliant hues that have captured the eye of human beings from time immemorial. Scientists have spent decades trying to unravel the complexities of nature, and in the process, have uncovered revolutionary insights on the mechanisms governing coloration in animals. Zebrafish, a small minnow with distinct stripes on its body, has captivated the attention of researchers who wished to study pigmentation patterns in the animal world. The availability of a vast collection of pigment pattern mutants and closely related species of zebrafish allowed researchers to weave an incredible story of how pigment cells come together to form an elaborate pattern. This review comprises of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of stripe formation in zebrafish along with a sound mathematical basis for it. It also includes the ecological significance of a fish having stripes and the application of this knowledge of pigmentation in building robust zebrafish models for skin disorders in humans such as the invasive melanoma.