Expression pattern of Eya3 in mice. (a) Expression analysis of Eya3 by lacZ-staining in homozygous Eya3-/- embryos (A – E, E9.5 – E13.5) revealed an expression of Eya3 in specific regions including the eyes, limbs, somites, branchial arches, tectorial regions, and in different areas of the developing brain. Since the expression pattern of Eya3 is identical, if analyzed by in-situ hybridization in wild-type embryos or by β-Gal expression in Eya3-/- mutant mice, only the mutant data are shown. Wild-type embryos as negative controls did not show lacZ-staining (F). (Ba, branchial arches; Ey, eye; Ea, ear; Fl, forelimb; FlB, forelimb bud; H, heart; Hl, hindlimb; HlB, hindlimb bud; OlP, olfactory pit; Ol, olfactory region; Ov, optic vesicle; OtV, otic vesicle; Pt, pretectorial region; So, somites; Tc, tectorial region; Ta, tail; Te, telencephalon; TeV, telencephalic vesicle; Tg, trigeminal nerve; Wf, follicle of whiskers). (b) Expression analysis of Eya3 in the eye with in-situ hybridization displayed transcripts in the detaching lens at E11.5 and afterwards in the lens epithelium and in the retina (E15.5 – E17.5) (L, lens; Le, lens epithelium; Lfc, lens fiber cells; Lv lens vesicle; R, retina; On, optic nerve). (c) RT-PCR with cDNA of adult mice showed an Eya3 expression in muscle, heart, brain, kidney and lung, however, no Eya3 transcript was found in the liver.