Figure 2. Crx^Rip/+ retinas display immature cone-like photoreceptors and long-term preservation of the outer nuclear layer.

(A) Immunostaining of RHO, OPN1SW, OPN1MW, ARR3, PNA, and Recoverin in P21 Crx^+/+, Crx^Rip/+, Crx^Rip/Rip, and Crx^–/– retinas. onl, outer nuclear layer; inl, inner nuclear layer. Scale bar: 40 μm. (B) Methacrylate sections followed by H&E staining of retinas from 5-week-, 10-week-, and 9-month-old Crx^+/+, Crx^Rip/+, Crx^Rip/Rip, and Crx^–/– mice. rpe, retinal pigment epithelium; os, outer segment; is, inner segment; gcl, ganglion cell layer. Scale bar: 40 μm. (C) Methacrylate sections followed by H&E staining in 5-week-old Crx^+/+, Crx^Rip/+, Crx^Rip/Rip, and Crx^–/– mice. The arrow indicates characteristic rod photoreceptor nuclei with dense chromatin in the center, and arrowheads indicate characteristic cone photoreceptor nuclei with less condensed chromatin. Scale bar: 10 μm. (D) Immunostaining using ribeye and PKCα antibodies to visualize presynaptic photoreceptor region and ON bipolar cells, respectively, in P21 Crx^+/+ and Crx^Rip/+ retinas. opl, outer plexiform layer. Scale bar: 40 μm (left); 10 μm (right).