FIG. 1.
Acvr2a/b and Gdf11 mutants are sensitive to exogenous RA exposure. Representative ventral view of axial skeletons of wild-type (A, B), Acvr2a+/−;Acvr2b−/− (C–E), and Gdf11−/− (F–H) fetuses exposed to either sesame oil (A, C, F) or RA (B, D, E, G, H) in utero at 8.5 dpc (10 mg/kg of body weight). Limbs were removed during skeleton preparation. Diagram with colored boxes in each panel indicate a represented number of cervical (C; red), thoracic (T; blue), lumbar (L; orange), sacral (S; green), and caudal (Cd; dark blue) vertebrae. Severe truncations of the axial skeletons occurred posterior to mid-lumbar region in RA exposed Acvr2 mutants and Gdf11−/− fetuses.