Figure 2: Expression of Sox17, Sox7, and Sox18 in the oviduct and uterus receptive to implantation.
From: Mouse Sox17 haploinsufficiency leads to female subfertility due to impaired implantation
(a–c) Relative expression levels of Sox17 (a), Sox7 (b), and Sox18 (c) transcripts in WT oviduct and uterine tissues at 18:00–20:00 on DOP 4 were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Relative expression levels (2−ΔΔCT) were analysed by the comparative CT method (mean ± standard error of mean [SEM]). Actb was used as an internal control. The uterus was used as a calibrator. (d) Western blot analysis to show Sox17 and Sox7 protein levels in the WT oviduct and uterine tissues prepared at DOP 4 simultaneously with RNA samples. Lack of smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression indicates proper preparation of the luminal epithelium. β-Actin was used as a loading control. The numbers beneath the Sox17 and Sox7 bands represent relative signal levels (Ut = 1.0), in which β-Actin was used for normalisation. (e,f) Immunohistochemistry of Sox17 and Sox7 in the WT oviduct at DOP 4. Enlarged images corresponding to the dotted boxes are shown in insets. (g,h) Immunohistochemistry of Sox17 and Sox7 in nonpregnant, WT uteri. Enlarged images corresponding to the small dotted boxes are shown in insets. (i,j) Immunohistochemistry of Sox17 and Sox7 in the WT uteri at DOP 4. Low magnification images of the cross-sectioned uteri are shown in insets. (k–l’) Immunohistochemistry of Sox17 and Sox7 in the WT uteri at 6 h after administration of P4 + E2 in the delayed implantation model. Enlarged images corresponding to dotted boxes in (k,l) are shown in (k’,l’), respectively. Abbreviations: Ovi, oviduct; Ut, uterus; LE(le), luminal epithelium; UΔLE, uterine tissues after removal of LE; ge, glandular epithelium; and b, blastocyst. Scale bars, 100 μm for (e–l); and 20 μm for (k’,l’).
