Figure 3.

Laminin Depletion Causes Ultra-Structural and Biophysical Changes in the BM

(A and B) Transmission electron microscopy images of the basal side of S4–S5 control (A) and laminin-hypomorphic (B) FCs. The BM is indicated with white brackets.

(C) Quantification of BM width. Mean and SD are shown for a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 44 measurements per genotype and stage.

(D) Comparison of the apparent elastic modulus K at discrete points along control (58 measurements from 11 ovarioles) and laminin hypomorph mutant ovarioles (48 measurements from 10 ovarioles) ex vivo. The results shown refer to an indentation depth of 0.2 μm to reflect BM properties. Statistically significant increases in K shown in the graph correspond to control versus mutant tissue of the same stage. The table refers to the comparison between follicles of the same genotype but of different stage. Horizontal lines in boxes represent median values; Xs indicate mean values. n.s., not significant (p > 0.05, two-tailed t test).

See also Table S1. Error bars indicate SD.