洞穴鱼类眼部退化机制的研究进展

黑暗环境中的洞穴鱼类眼部结构发生了退化,但不同洞穴鱼物种眼部退化程度存在差异,从眼部结构的部分缺失到完全消失的情况均存在。目前研究表明,不论是达尔文的自然选择学说,还是木村资生的中性进化理论均不能很好地解释洞穴鱼类眼部退化的产生机制。洞穴鱼类眼部退化是一个复杂的过程,若要揭示其机制需汇集多个学科的研究优势。该文介绍了国内外洞穴鱼类眼部退化研究领域的形态解剖学、发育生物学、动物行为学及分子遗传学研究进展,并对洞穴鱼眼部退化的研究现状与发展提出了一些思考和建议。

Progress on the degeneration mechanism of cave fishes' eyes

Attempts to understand the degeneration of the eyes in cave fish has largely been explained by either various extents of gradual degeneration, ranging from partial to total loss, observed in various species or by acceleration of loss caused by dark environments. However, neither the theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin nor the neutral theory of molecular evolution formulated by Kimura Motoo adequately explains these phenomena. Recent trends in utilizing multidisciplinary research, however, have yielded better results, helping reveal a more complex picture of the mechanisms of degeneration. Here, we summarize the current progress of the research via morphology and anatomy, development biology, animal behavior science and molecular genetics, and offer some perspectives on the ongoing research into the development and degeneration of eyes in cave fish.