Figure 5.

Genetic and pharmacological loss of VEGFR-3 function in vivo. (A–D) Neonatal neurogenesis in P15 Brn4:Cre, Vegfr3^lox/lox mice. Brn4:Cre, Vegfr3^lox/lox mice show a decreased number of BrdU⁺ cells in the lv (A) and OB (B), as compared with Brn4:Cre, Vegfr3^lox/+ controls. (C) The OB is reduced in size and is disorganized, with a reduction of NeuN⁺ cells. (D) No decrease of the density of CD31 labeling was observed. (E–G) SVZ of adult mice with a conditional deletion of Vegfr3 in neural cells (Brn4:Cre, Vegfr3^lox/lox homozygotes; control Brn4:Cre, Vegfr3^lox/+ heterozygotes). (E,F) Cresyl-violet staining of brain coronal paraffin sections from control (E) and Vegfr3-deficient (F) mice. The SVZ cell density along the striatal wall and in the lateral horn is reduced in Vegfr3^lox/lox homozygotes compared with controls. Insets show magnifications of boxed areas in E and F. (G) Anti-GFAP staining indicates that the SVZ astroglial network is thinner and disorganized in Vegfr3^lox/lox homozygotes compared with controls. (H) Cresyl-violet staining of OB coronal paraffin sections shows the reduction in OB size of Vegfr3-deficient mice compared with heterozygote control. Bars: A, 50 μm; B–F,H, 100 μm; G, 20 μm; insets in E,F, 5 μm. Error bars indicate SEM. (*) P < 0.05, Student's t-test.