Figure 3. Knockdown of XRFC leads to multiple malformations at tadpole stages.

(A) Knockdown of XRFC caused craniofacial malformations (arrowheads) with curled trunks. (B) XRFC-MO inhibited the formation of cranial cartilage. Cartilages in late tadpoles were stained with alcian blue. Cartilage on the RFC-MO injected side was often malformed and reduced. M, meckel's cartilage; CH, ceratohyal cartilage; CB, ceratobranchial cartilage. (C) The XRFC-MO injected embryos were hypopigmented at tadpole stage. (G) The XRFC morphants showed enlarged pericardial cavity (arrowhead), indicative of heart defects. (H–I) The gut coiling in XRFC was malformed at tailbud (H) and tadpole (I) stages compared to the rescued group (K, L). (D, E, F, G, K, L) Co-injection of XRFC mRNA rescued the above mentioned malformations.