(A) Schematic presentation of the experimental paradigm: ablation of the C-row of whiskers at P1 causes corresponding reorganization of barrel representations at P7 in contralateral hemisphere.
(B Immunolabeling of thalamocortical afferents to the barrel cortex with an antibody against 5HT transporter. Left images show control barrel cortex. Right images are representative examples of lesion-induced plasticity following whisker follicle ablation in mice that were injected with saline (top), with GBP (middle). Bottom row are control (left) and lesioned (right) barrel cortices from a TSP1/2KO mouse. Arrows flank the C-row of barrels corresponding to lesioned whiskers. Brackets and dashed lines show the expansion of D-row barrels. Asterisks denote regions of abnormal lesion-induced plasticity.
(C) Hematoxylin staining of the whisker pads from mice whose barrels are shown in (B) showing selective ablation of C row follicles.