Fig. 2: Gtl2 polyA knock-in alters placental architecture and leads to vasculature defect in the labyrinth. | Communications Biology

Fig. 2: Gtl2 polyA knock-in alters placental architecture and leads to vasculature defect in the labyrinth.

From: Maternal RNA transcription in Dlk1-Dio3 domain is critical for proper development of the mouse placental vasculature

Fig. 2

a In situ hybridization of Tpbpa on E14.5 placenta to distinguish the three-layer structure of the mature placentas. Tpbpa, which is the marker gene of spongiotrophoblast can mark the junctional zone of the placenta. Yellow lines distinguish three layers of placentas. Dec: decidua, Jz: junctional zone, Lab: labyrinth, Cp: chorionic plate. Scale bars: 1000 μm. b, c Proportions of the labyrinth area and junctional zone area compared to the total placental area at E12.5 (WT n = 3, PKI n = 4, MKI n = 4, HOMO n = 3), E14.5 (WT n = 8, PKI n = 8, MKI n = 6, HOMO n = 5), and E16.5 (WT n = 8, PKI n = 5). The mean proportion ± SD of each genotype is plotted. Student t-test is used to analyze the p values. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. d H&E staining of placentas at E12.5, E14.5, and E16.5. Dark green boxes show high-magnification images of labyrinth area (right). Blue triangles: maternal blood space (Mbs), black triangles: fetal blood space (Fbs). Scale bars of the first, third and fifth columns: 500 μm, scale bars of the second, fourth and sixth columns: 50 μm. e CD31 IHC of E14.5 placentas. CD31 is the marker of vascular endothelial cells. Dark green boxes show high-magnification images of labyrinth areas (right). Black arrows indicate CD31 express normally in the fetal vascular endothelial cells. Red arrows indicate aggregation distribution of CD31 in MKI and HOMO abnormal fetal vascular endothelial cells. Scale bars of the first column: 500μm, scale bars of the second column: 50 μm. f DLK1 IHC of E14.5 placentas. Dark green boxes show high-magnification images of labyrinth areas (right). Black arrows indicate DLK1 express normally in the fetal vascular endothelial cells, red arrows indicate aggregation distribution and increased expression of DLK1 in MKI and HOMO abnormal fetal vascular endothelial cells. Scale bars of the first column: 500 μm, scale bars of the second column: 50 μm. g According to the images of CD31 IHC of E14.5 placentas, the Fbs (blue) are surrounded by CD31, and filled with larger nucleated erythrocytes, and the Mbs (red) are not surrounded by CD31 and filled with smaller no nucleus erythrocytes. h, i The proportions of Fbs and Mbs compare to labyrinth at E14.5, respectively. Images of 3 microscopic views of one placental labyrinth are calculated to quantify the vascular area using ImageJ software. Numbers of placentas: WT n = 3, PKI n = 3, MKI n = 3, HOMO n = 3. The mean proportion ± SD of each genotype is plotted. Student t-test is used to analyze the p values. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

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