Figure 3. Deletion of epicardial Yap/Taz results in diffuse post-MI myocardial fibrosis.

(A) Masson’s trichrome staining of serial cross sections from the coronary ligature to the apex of the heart 14 days after MI in 3 representative control (Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl) and 3 representative mutant (Wt1^CreERT2/+ Yap^fl/fl Taz^fl/fl) animals. Fibrotic tissue is stained blue. (B) Quantification of the proportion of fibrosis indexed to the total CSA of the myocardium in the LV free wall. There was a significantly greater amount of fibrosis in mutant hearts (65.4% ± 8.2%, n = 5 mice) compared with that in control hearts (43.4% ± 3.2%, n = 7 mice). *P < 0.05, by 2-tailed Student’s t test. Data represent the mean ± SEM. Scale bar: 2 mm.