Figure 4

Loss of ephrin-A2 prevents neuronal differentiation and disrupts the distribution of excitatory neurons in the postnatal neocortex. Laminar distribution of GFP+ cells at P12 following electroporation at E15.5 (15 days post electroporation dpe) with (a) GFP-tagged control scrambled shRNA (sh_ctrl-GFP) and (a’) GFP-tagged shRNA to knockdown efnA2 (sh_efnA2-GFP), arrowheads in (a’) signal GFP + cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) (a”) the number of GFP+ cells was quantified in each compartment and expressed as a ratio of the total GFP population (a”) scrambled control shRNA, n = 5; efnA2 shRNA, n = 4; p < 0.02; Mann-Whitney test, error bars represent SEM). GFP+ cells knockdown for efnA2 remaining in the SVZ ((b) arrowheads) express the stem cell marker Sox2 ((b’) arrowheads). (c) Loss of efnA2 does not affect the laminar architecture as revealed by Hoechst staining although distribution of the GFP+ electroporated cells (c’) and density of NeuN+ cells (c”) was profoundly altered. Scale bar (a’,c”) 200 µm; (b’) 20 µm.