Fig. 2: NC Adar1 deletion leads to reduced number of melanocytes in the skin of mutants at P4.

a Paraffin skin sections from control and HtPA-Cre; Adar1^fl/fl mutant mice stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H/E). Black arrowheads indicate presence of melanin in controls. Scale bar: 25 μm. b Relative expression level of melanocyte-expressed genes in skin of control (gray) and mutant (blue) mice (n = 5 or 8 controls and n = 4, 7 or 9 mutants depending on tested genes) analyzed by RT-qPCR. The relative abundance values of each amplicon were normalized to the internal control β-actin, and expression level of mutants and controls represented relative to controls. All data represent mean ± SEM, asterisks represent p value: ***p < 0.001 determined using t test. c Number (%) of follicles containing YFP-positive cells in the skin of control and mutant mice. Representative regions showing YFP (green) cells in follicles and quantification are presented in controls (gray) and mutants (blue). Statistical differences between the groups (n = 3 independent controls and mutants) were determined using t test (asterisks represent p value: ***p < 0.001). Scale bar: 50 μm. d Morphology and functionality of remaining YFP-positive cells (melanocytes) in follicles of control and mutant mice. Melanin synthesis (black) is shown on white light images. Bottom panels represent higher magnifications of upper panels (Scale bars: 50 and 15 μm, respectively). In (c) and (d) counterstaining with DAPI (blue) is shown to identify structures. Careful analysis of the few remaining YFP-positive cells in mutants skin showed them to be enlarged and able to produce melanin, suggesting that when still present, mutant melanocytes can retain at least part of their functionality. For (b) and (c), source data are provided as a source data file.