Figure 4.

Sox4 and Sox11 are required for normal optic nerve development. A, Examination of perfusion-fixed control and Chx10-Cre/Sox4^fl/fl/Sox11^fl/fl mice revealed a complete loss of optic nerve in the dcKO mice. B, Optic nerves of control, Chx10-Cre/Sox4^fl/fl, and Chx10-Cre/Sox4^fl/fl/Sox11^fl/fl mice mounted on agarose gel plates for electron microscopy demonstrated optic nerve atrophy in the Sox4 knock-out and severe atrophy in the subset of Sox4/11 dcKO mice with any optic nerves (scale bar, 500 μm). C–E, Cross sections of optic nerves from the samples shown in B were imaged with electron microscopy. Scale bars: C, 150 μm; D, 15 μm: E, 2 μm. F, Frequency plot for individual axon size. G, Analysis of individual axon number and axon area of control and Chx10-Cre/Sox4^fl/fl optic nerves demonstrates significant reductions in these two measures.