Fig. 7: Sox9 regulates branching morphogenesis during IHBD development.
From: Sox9 inhibits Activin A to promote biliary maturation and branching morphogenesis
a Co-localization of Ki-67 and EpCAM at P5 (scale bar represents 50 μm; white asterisks indicate portal vein) shows that Sox9cKO mice exhibit b significant loss of BECs per portal field, but (c) no change in proliferation. d Whole tissue imaging of P5 livers reveals substantial loss of web-like peripheral IHBDs in Sox9cKO (scale bar represents 0.5 mm). e To visualize ducts and ductules, we masked positive signal and colored the mask based on volume between branch points. Ducts were defined as having a volume ≥2.0e5 μm3 (illustrated in yellow; scale bar represents 0.5 mm). Ductules were defined as having a volume <2.0e5 μm3 (illustrated in red). Periportal regions were isolated and enlarged (right panels). Sox9cKO IHBDs exhibit broad ductule loss. f P5 Sholl analysis demonstrates a loss of branching throughout the liver. g E17.5 whole tissue image of IHBDs labeled with EpCAM exhibit unchanged branching between control and Sox9cKO (scale bars represent 0.5 mm). h E17.5 Sholl analysis confirmed no changed in branching between control and Sox9cKO. a–c n = 3 biological replicates per group. d–f, n = 2 whole livers per group. g, h n = 3 whole livers per group. b and c significance indicates a p < 0.5, an unpaired two-sided t-test was used, and data are presented as mean values ± SEM. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
