Necl2 overexpression decreases proliferation and leads to upregulation
of E-cadherin and CASK during wound healing. (A-C) BrdU-labelled
S-phase cells (brown, A-C) at the leading edge of healing wild-type (A),
transgenic (B) and Necl2-knockout (C) mouse epidermis. (D)
Quantification of BrdU-positive cells as a function of distance from the wound
edge in wild-type (black bars), transgenic (red bars), and knockout mice (blue
bars). Data are presented relative to appropriate congenic wild-type controls
(n=4 knockout mice/group; n=8 transgenic mice/group). Error
bars show s.e.m.; *P<0.05. (E-H) Wounded
wild-type (E,F) or K14Necl2 transgenic (G,H) epidermis stained with anti-CASK
(red) and DAPI nuclear counterstain (blue; E,G). (I-N) E-cadherin
(green, I-N) and Necl2 (red, I,K,M) expression at the leading edge of
re-epithelialising wounds, 7 days after wounding. (E,G,I-N) DAPI nuclear
counterstain (blue). Lines (A-C,E-N) denote dermal-epidermal boundary and
boxes (E,G,I,K,M) denote regions shown at higher magnification in adjacent
panels. Scale bars: 50 μm in A-C; 100 μm in E-N.