Alpha2 macroglobulin-like is essential for liver development in zebrafish

BACKGROUND: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin family members have been studied extensively with respect to their roles in physiology and human disease including innate immunity and Alzheimer's disease, but little is known about a possible role in liver development loss-of-function in model systems. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report the isolation of the zebrafish alpha2 macroglobulin-like (A2ML) gene and its specific expression in the liver during differentiation. Morpholino-based knock-down of A2ML did not block the initial formation of the liver primordium, but inhibited liver growth and differentiation. SIGNIFICANCE: This report on A2ML function in zebrafish development provides the first evidence for a specific role of an A2M family gene in liver formation during early embryogenesis in a vertebrate.