Figure 2. Deletion of epicardial YAP/TAZ results in profound pericardial inflammation and erosion of the heart through the chest wall.

(A) Whole-mount bright-field images of representative Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl (control) and Wt1^CreERT2/+ Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl (mutant) hearts in the absence of surgery or following MI injury. Arrowheads indicate focal fibrosis at the site of the coronary ligature in control mice and a thick, fibrous cap covering the distal anterior LV wall and the entire cardiac apex in mutant mice. Scale bars: 2 mm. (B) Whole-mount bright-field images of representative Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl (control) and Wt1^CreERT2/+ Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl (mutant) chest walls following MI injury. Arrowheads denote erosion of the cardiac apex and anterior LV wall through the soft tissue and bone structures of the anterior chest wall in mutant mice.