Fig. 1.

Strongest FBLN2 expression is highest during puberty and early pregnancy. a Mean expression of Fbln2 (relative to puberty time point) in whole glands collected at puberty 6 weeks (V6), adulthood 12 weeks (V12), pregnancy (P) days 3, 8.5, 12.5, 14.5, and 17, lactation (Lac) days 1 and 7, and involution (Inv) days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20 measured by qRT-PCR and normalised against Krt18. Error bars represent standard deviation (SD) between three replicate PCR reactions. b Low and higher power images of mammary gland sections at puberty (6 weeks), adult virgin (12 weeks) and no primary antibody control (−ve) stained for FBLN2 by immunohistochemistry. FBLN2 was localised to the TEB (solid arrows) at six weeks and to a much lesser extent the pubertal ducts (dotted arrow). In the adult mammary gland weak FBLN2 expression was associated with the stroma around ducts (dotted arrow). Scale bars represent 100 μm. Mammary glands from three animals was tested for each time point