Skip to main content
. 2008 Oct 27;3(10):e3517. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003517

Figure 3. The number of dopaminergic neurons is normal at most stages but transiently increases at E14.5 in Wnt5a−/− mice.

Figure 3

(A) At E11.5 and E12.5 no differences in the number of TH+ cells could be detected. At E12.5 and E14.5 the region occupied by TH+ cells in the Wnt5a−/−midbrain appears larger, extending both laterally and dorsally. (B) At E17.5 the distribution of cells is broader dorsoventrally in rostral and caudal sections in the Wnt5a−/− VM. Importantly, at rostral levels the ventral tegmental area was more lateral (leaving a TH-poor midline domain) and the substantia nigra more medial, making it difficult to differentiate between them. (C) Enlarged image of TH+ cells at E12.5 shows normal DA neuron morphology in the Wnt5a−/− mice. (D) Quantification of the number of TH+ cells in E11.5, E12.5, E14.5, and E17.5 mice shows a transient 25% increase at E14.5 in Wnt5a−/− embryos, which was no longer seen at E17.5. (At E14.5, unpaired t-test, p = 0.0492, N = 4).