Function of dcr-1 downstream of ced-3 to promote cell death. Embryonic cell corpses were counted in the following animals: (A) N2, dcr-1(ok247), dcr-1(pk1351), and cps-1(sm24) animals; (B) ced-1(e1735), ced-1(e1735); dcr-1(ok247), and ced-1(e1735); dcr-1(pk1351) animals; (C) ced-1(e1735) smIs111; egl-1(n3082) and ced-1(e1735) smIs111; dcr-1(ok247); egl-1(n3082) animals. Stages of embryos examined were: comma, 1.5-fold, 2-fold, 2.5-fold, 3-fold, and 4-fold. The y axis represents average number of cell corpses scored and error bars represent standard deviation (S.D.). 15 embryos were counted for each embryonic stage. The significance of differences between different genetic backgrounds was determined by two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni comparison. *, P < 0.001; **, P < 0.05. All other points had P values > 0.05.