Figure 3. Adamts9 haploinsufficiency leads to posterior lens extrusions owing to a defective lens capsule.

(a) E12.5 to E16.5 Adamts9^del/+ and Adamts9^+/+ eyes were stained using an antibody against γ-crystallin which identified the extrusions lying posterior to the lens as extruded lens fibers (arrows). Images are representative of at least 3 eyes analyzed for each time point. L = lens. Scale bar = 25 μm. (b–d) E16.5, P0 and P21 Adamts9^del/+ and Adamts9^+/+ eyes were stained by the periodic acid Schiff (b, PAS stain, magenta, indicative of glycoproteins) or using antibodies directed against collagen IV (c, red) or laminin (d, red). Collagen IV and laminin immunostaining of the lens capsule (arrow) had reduced intensity in Adamts9^del/+ eyes as compared to Adamts9^+/+ eyes, most evident in E16.5 embryos. However, the capillary basement membrane of vessels comprising the tunica vasculosa lentis (asterisk) had similar staining in both genotypes. At higher magnification (framed images), segmentally weaker or discontinuous lens capsule immunostaining (arrowheads) suggestive of fenestrae, was observed in mutant eyes. The images are representative of at least 3 eyes analyzed at each time point. L = lens. Scale bar = 50 μm.