Animals must accurately sense their environment in order to translate them into appropriate motor behaviors. In fishes, hair cells of the lateral line system enable the ability to sense water flow during important behaviors such as catching food or escaping from predators. Our lab takes advantage of optical, genetic and electrophysiological techniques available in zebrafish to examine the organization and physiology of neurons involved in flow sensing and locomotion. Advances in zebrafish genetics allow us to use powerful techniques to monitor the connectivity and function of neurons in an intact, behaving animal.
