Serotonin system in the brain of Tph2-deficient mice. (A) Detection of serotonin (Middle panel) by immunofluorescence and of Tph2 and serotonin transporter (SLC6A4, SERT) transcripts by in situ hybridization (Upper and Lower panels, respectively) in the dorsal raphé (DR) of Tph2−/− mice. CC, central canal. (B) Detection of serotonin (5-HT), its degradation product 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and the serotonin precursor tryptophan (Trp) in the DR by HPLC (representative HPLC-chromatogram, Upper panel and its quantification, Middle and Lower panels). ***, P < 0.001 Tph2−/− vs. Tph2+/+ and Tph2+/−, Student's t test.