Fig. 3.

Altered distribution of ZO-1 in Cx43 KO epicardial explants. (A,B) E11.5 epicardial explant cultures were immunostained with ZO-1 (green) antibody. Strong cell surface localization was observed at regions of cell-cell contract in wild-type epicardial cells (A). In Cx43 KO explants (B), ZO-1 localization at the cell surface was reduced concomitant with ZO-1 redistribution to the cytoplasm. The ZO-1 staining pattern in the KO epicardial explant showed many regions of apparent discontinuity in the epithelial sheet (arrowheads). Scale bar in A: 30 μm.