Methods of screening agents for activity using teleosts

A method of screening a candidate agent for an effect on cell death activity, said method comprising in the following order:

• (a) contacting a living teleost post 12-hours of development with a dye wherein said dye has an affinity for dead cells and wherein said dye stains dead cells;
• (b) administering the candidate agent to the living teleost;
• (c) detecting the staining of dead cells with said dye in at least one specific tissue or organ in the living teleost;
• (d) comparing the staining of dead cells with said dye in said at least one specific tissue or organ of the living teleost with the staining of dead cells with said dye in said at least one specific tissue or organ of a control living teleost that was not administered said candidate agent;
• wherein an increase or decrease in the staining of dead cells with said dye in the treated living teleost compared to the control living teleost would indicate the effect of the candidate compound on cell death activity.