Fig. 5: High resolution images visualize mitochondrial abnormality in retinal microvessels of mutant mice.

a–c P15 retinas were subjected to whole mount co-staining with α-SMA, endomucin (EMCN) and CD31. Arrowheads and arrows indicate normal α-SMA^- microvessels in WT and α-SMA⁺ microvessels in the mutant retinas, respectively. A: artery/arterial. Capillary diameter (b) and % α-SMA coverage in total vessels (c) were quantified by Image J. d–f P15 retinas were subjected to whole mount co-staining with NG2, α-SMA and CD31 followed by imaging under STED microscope. Arrowheads and arrows indicate normal α-SMA^-NG2⁺ microvessels in WT and α-SMA⁺NG2⁺ microvessels in the mutant retinas, respectively. α-SMA⁺CD31⁺ microvessels in the mutant retinas were indicated by asterisks. % α-SMA/NG2 overlap (e) and % α-SMA/CD31 overlap (f) were quantified by Image J. g–l P15 retinas from WT and mutant mice were subjected to EM. g–i Representative images of capillaries containing EC surrounded by pericyte (PC), basement membrane (BM) and mitochondria (M). L: capillary lumen. PC processes are indicated by white arrowheads. j Mean BM thickness, (k) Total mitochondrial number, (l) Cristae surface area/outer membrane surface area are quantified. 10 EM section per mouse. n = 6 mice per group. Data are means ± SEM. P values are indicated, using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. Scale bar: 25 μm (a); 10 μm (d); 2 μm (g); 1 μm (h); 150 nm (i). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.