FIGURE 3.

Deletion of Zfhx3 interferes with the lactogenic development of mouse mammary gland. A and B, underdeveloped mammary glands in Zfhx3 depleted females at lactation day 2, as seen in images of mammary glands from whole mount preparation (A) and H&E staining of tissue sections (B). Arrows in B indicate large cytoplasmic lipid droplets in the luminal epithelial cells of Zfhx3-deleted mammary glands. C, quantification of the total area filled by lactating alveoli in the H&E-stained sections using ImageJ. At least four mice were analyzed, and for each section, at least 20 images (×20) were used to analyze the area occupied by alveoli. D, quantification of the mean area of a single alveoli in the mammary glands using ImageJ. A total of at least 1000 alveoli were analyzed per genotype. For C and D, the data are means ± S.E. E, expression of β-casein by real time PCR; the data are means ± S.E. F, IHC staining of β-casein at lactation in the mammary glands; arrows show empty alveolar lumen, and arrowheads show empty ducts. Statistical significance was calculated by two-tailed Student's t test. ***, p < 0.001.