Fig. 5.

Conditional deletion of Pdgfra in the mesenchyme of the developing external genitalia causes defective external genitalia development. Tamoxifen was given to pregnant mice at E9.5 and E10.5, embryos were collected at E14.5 (a) and E18.5 (b) for scanning electron microscopy and histology analysis. Medial to lateral sagittal sections of E14.5 control and Pdgfra conditional knockout (Pdgfra-cKOs) embryos revealed that the urorectal septum (urs) and the urogenital fold (uf) were not developed normally in female and male Pdgfra-cKOs. The urs was shorter and not reaching the level of the cloaca membrane in Pdgfra-cKOs (dotted lines indicated the expected normal locations of the urs). Prepuce and urethra were not developed normally in E18.5 male and female Pdgfra-cKOs. Anal openings were anteriorly displaced in male and female Pdgfra-cKOs. Red arrowhead indicates the location of the tail base. Black arrowhead indicates the anal opening. pp prepuce, uf urogenital fold, ls labioscrotal fold, urs urorectal septum, r rectum, u urethra, cl cloaca, up urethral plate, ud urethral duct, t tail, g glans. n = number of embryos analyzed