FIG. 8.

Vaginal protease activity in Fbln5^−/− mice before pelvic organ prolapse. A) Gelatin zymogram illustrating gelatinase activities of MMP2 and MMP9 in vaginal tissues from 4-wk-old Fbln5^−/− mice (i.e., before the age of prolapse onset) with age-matched virginal Fbln5^+/− and WT controls. Immunoblot for alpha tubulin beneath the zymogram demonstrates even protein loading. Data represent areas of gel lysis in density units normalized to density units of alpha tubulin. B) Densitometric quantification of MMP2 and MMP9 activity in the vaginal wall of young WT, Fbln5^+/−, and Fbln5^−/− mice. Data represent mean ± SEM of four to five tissues from each genotype. *P ≤ 0.05 compared with WT; **P ≤ 0.05 compared with Fbln5^+/− or WT.