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. 2007 Jun 6;27(23):6115–6127. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0180-07.2007

Figure 4.

Figure 4.

Abnormal cerebellar development in Nfi-null mice. A, Bisbenzimide staining of sagittal sections through the vermis of P17 mice showing altered foliation in Nfi mutants. Top, Nfia+/+. Bottom, Nfia−/−. Lobules are labeled with roman numerals. B, DiI-labeled parallel fibers within cerebellar coronal sections from wild-type and Nfia-null animals. Left, Arrowheads indicate parallel fibers within the ML extending away from the DiI crystal inserted at the midline. Axon extension is reduced throughout the cerebellar vermis of Nfia-null mice compared with wild-type mice. Right, Higher magnification of the ML showing dramatically shortened axons in Nfia-null mice. Note the parallel orientation of fibers in wild-type cerebella. Bottom, Numerous disorientated axons (arrowheads) extending toward the IGL and/or meninges are observed only in Nfia-null cerebella. C, DiI-labeled dendritic processes on CGNs within the IGL of the anterior vermis of wild-type (top) and Nfia-null (bottom) mice. Wild-type CGNs exhibited typical claw-shaped dendrites (arrowheads), which were lacking on CGNs within the anterior cerebella of mutant mice. Note that the intensity of DiI staining of CGN cell bodies within the IGL was identical in wild-type and Nfia mutant mice. D, P17 Nfia-null mice exhibit a residual EGL containing differentiating CGNs. Left, NeuN+ cells within sagittal sections of wild-type and Nfia−/− mice from lobule VI (regions are indicated by rectangles in A). Arrowheads indicate ectopic cells within the ML of mutant mice. Right, Bisbenzimide staining of the same sections. E, Left, Calbindin immunostaining of Purkinje cells in wild-type and Nfia-null cerebella. The location and densities of these cells were the same in both genotypes. Dendritic processes in Nfia mutant mice were less extensive along their superficial aspect (arrowhead) possibly attributable to reduced parallel fiber extension and residual EGL cells within this region. Right, Bisbenzimide staining of the same sections showing the residual EGL in Nfia mutant cerebellum. Scale bars: B–E, 50 μm. All images derive from the vermis of P17 cerebella.