Fig. 6. β-catenin miRNA TP-treated embryos have normal sphincters but less well developed circumesophageal musculature.
Three day old larvae were immunolabeled with the myosin heavy chain antibody (MHC) (Wessel et al., 1990) to detect circumpharyngeal muscle fibers and sphincters (red arrow-pyloric sphincter; white arrow-anal sphincter) that compartmentalize the larval gut. (A) DIC image of the control larva. (B) Control larva immunolabeled with MHC. (C) Zoomed in view of a normal larval circumpharyngeal muscles. (D) DIC of the β-catenin miRNA TP-treated embryo. (E) β-catenin miRNA TP treated embryo immunolabeled with MHC. (F) Zoomed in view of the larval circumpharyngeal muscles from β-catenin miRNA TP injected larvae. es=esophagus/foregut; st=stomach/midgut; in=intestine/hindgut. (G) The diameter of the circumesophageal muscle fibers is significantly smaller in the β-catenin miRNA TP treated embryos compared to the control embryos.