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. 2009 Aug 17;119(9):2634–2647. doi: 10.1172/JCI38864

Figure 2. The miR-143/145 cluster is specifically expressed in the SMC lineage.

Figure 2

(A–F) Specific expression of the lacZ reporter gene under control of the miR-143 promoter in SMCs. (A) miR-143/145 is initially expressed in the developing embryonic heart at E8.5 (not shown) to E9.5. (B and C) During fetal stages (E16.5), the expression of the miR-143 reporter gene becomes confined to SMCs of the aorta (a), smaller blood vessels, esophagus (oe), lung (l), small intestine (si), colon (c), bladder (b), and umbilical cord (u). (D–F) In adult animals, miR-143 expression is present in all SMCs throughout the body, including the aorta, the coronary arteries (ca) of the cross-sectioned heart, the saphenous artery (as), and the bronchi (b). Scale bar in A: 0.6 mm (A); 0.9 mm (B and C); 1.2 mm (D); 0.09 mm (E); 0.06 mm (F).