Figure 2.

Phenotypic findings in mice lacking the α3 nAChR subunit. Mice were bred on a mixed 129/SvEv and C57BL/6 background. (a) Survival of 27 −/− (○) and 30 +/+ (●) littermate mice in the 10 days after birth. (b) Survival of 18 −/− mice in the 8 weeks after weaning. (c) Comparison of typical +/+ (right) and −/− (left) littermates at 7 weeks of age. Note smaller size and closed eyes in −/− mouse. (d and e) Comparison of the eye in a +/+ mouse (d) demonstrating larger globe and tiny pupil compared with the smaller eye and very widely dilated pupil in the −/− mouse (e). The margins of the pupils are indicated by white arrowheads. (f) The bladder from a normal mouse (center) is compared with two bladders from −/− mice, the left containing clear urine and the right containing cloudy urine. (g) A −/− mouse bladder that has been partially cut to demonstrate the dense stone formation filling the bladder.