Morphology of abnormal valves in outflow vessels in E15.5 Prkd1
em1/em1
(homozygous) hearts. (a, b) Superior views of a Prkd1
+/+ (a) and Prkd1
em1/em1
(b) heart. The WT heart has normal valves in the outflow region, with three valve leaflets (right, left and anterior) seen in the pulmonary trunk (a). In contrast, the homozygous heart has an abnormal pulmonary valve (b); a right and anterior leaflet could be discerned, but the left leaflet was deficient (asterisk), indicating a dysplastic leaflet in the pulmonary valve. Three leaflets (right, left and non‐coronary) can be seen in the aortic valve in both hearts. (c, d) A second E15.5 WT heart (c) and homozygous (d) heart from the superior aspect. The WT heart has normal leaflets (right, left and non‐coronary) in the aortic valve (c). In contrast the homozygous heart had an abnormal aortic valve (d). There are three sinuses (trisinuate; two are denoted by small arrows and one by an open arrow), but there were only two leaflets (bileaflet). The long black arrow points to the site of raphe, where the right and non‐coronary valve leaflets are fused. A, anterior; Ao, aorta; L, left; LA, left atrium; LV, left ventricle; NC, non‐coronary; PT, pulmonary trunk; R, right; RA, right atrium; RV, right ventricle; WT, wild type.