Flow visualization around larval zebrafish

Larval zebrafish are a model organism in neuroscience for understanding action-perception cycles underlying behavior. Their small size, near optical transparency, and availability of fluorescently labeled transgenic lines facilitate whole brain calcium imaging. Here, we aim to study the flow sensing capabilities of larval zebrafish by combining behavioral assays with brain imaging and PIV analysis. Thus, we fix the fish’s head in agarose gel and subject the fish to controlled flow perturbations. Utilizing Fourier Light Field Microscopy (FLFM), we conduct PIV measurements around the fish and reconstruct the full 3D flow field and tail motion of the fish. Our results provide insights to the sensitivity and workings of the posterior lateral line system.