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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Apr 15.
Published in final edited form as: Dev Biol. 2010 Feb 6;340(2):459–467. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.01.039

Fig. 2. Dicer expression in NCCs is required for craniofacial bone formation.

Fig. 2

(A–B) NCCs were traced by -galactosidase expression in E13 Dicerfx/+; R26R; Wnt1-Cre and (B) Dicerfx/fx; R26R; Wnt1Cre embryos. (A) At E13 the NCCs have migrated to their target locations in the head. (B) The loss of Dicer does not prevent NC migration and colonization of the head but the number of cells is reduced. (C–D) To detect differentiation of NCCs into cartilage, E13 embryos were stained with Alcian Blue. (C) Control embryos show cartilage formation in the vertebrae and mandible while in the absence of Dicer, Meckel’s cartilage is not formed (D) (arrowheads). (E–F) Cartilage and bone formation in embryos was examined in E17 embryos by staining with Alcian Blue-Alizarin Red. Bones that are NC derived are outlined in the control embryo (E). In mutant embryos, all NC derived craniofacial bones are either absent or severely reduced (F). (G–H) Heamotoxylin & eosin stained parasagital sections of control (G) and mutant (H) heads. In addition to loss of NC derived bones, the soft tissues of the face are lost including the whisker pads of mutant embryos. Tym: Tympanic, Als: Alisphenoid, Sq: Squomosal, Ftl: Frontal, Jgl: Jugal, Na: Nasal, Pr: Premaxilla, Plt: Palatine, Dnt: Dentary.