p120 Catenin-Mediated Stabilization of E-Cadherin Is Essential for Primitive Endoderm Specification
Fig 2
Early embryogenesis occurs normally in p120ctn-depleted embryos.
(A-C) p120ctn co-localizes with cadherin-based junctional complexes in wild-type preimplantation mouse embryos. Bright field (BF) transmitted light micrographs and immunofluorescence of wild-type embryos from the two-cell stage to blastocysts, including uncompacted (uncomp.) and compacted (comp.) morulas. Double immunofluorescence was done for p120ctn (green signal) and for E-cadherin (A), αE-catenin (C) or β-catenin (B). Scale bars: 25 μm. (D) Breeding scheme to obtain p120ctn-/- embryos in timed matings. The table depicts numbers and percentages of p120ctn+/+, p120ctn+/- or p120ctn-/- embryos that were recovered at the developmental stages indicated (dpc, days post coitum). (E) BF micrographs and immunostainings of 3.5-dpc blastocysts of wild-type (p120ctn+/+) mice, heterozygous (p120ctn+/-) and homozygous (p120ctn-/-) p120ctn knock-out mice. Double immunofluorescence was performed for p120ctn and E-cadherin. Scale bars: 25 μm. (F) Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained paraffin sections of control and p120ctn-/- gastrula-stage embryo. Scale bars: 200 μm.