Fig 5. Gradual decrease in the population of insulin expressing cells and a proportional augmentation in the population of ghrelin expressing cells in the islets of beta-cell-specific Pax6 KO mice.

Immunofluorescence staining of pancreatic cryosections from 4 week old mice at 7 days after tamoxifen induction (a-d and g-j) and 9 week old mice at 6 weeks after tamoxifen induction (e, f and k, l). (a, b) In the control islets, all of the YFP⁺ cells express insulin. (c, d) At 7 days after tamoxifen induction few YFP⁺ Pax6-deficient cells are negative for insulin expression. (e, f) At 6 weeks after tamoxifen induction a majority of the YFP⁺ Pax6-deficient cells are negative for insulin expression. (g, h) Ghrelin⁺ cells are not detected in the control islets. (i, j) At 7 days after tamoxifen induction few YFP⁺ Pax6-deficient cells express ghrelin. (k, l) At 6 weeks after tamoxifen induction a majority of the YFP⁺ Pax6-deficient cells express ghrelin.