Fig. 3.

Vascular abnormalities in Ilk mutants phenocopy aspects of FEVR. a Picture and body weight analysis of P14 Ilk^iECKO mutants and littermate controls. Error bars, s.e.m. p values (***p < 0.001), Student’s t test (n = 6 animals/group). b Overview images of the isolectin B4-stained P14 control and Ilk^iECKO retinal vasculature. Scale bar, 500 μm. c Confocal images of the isolectin B4-stained vasculature in the control and Ilk^iECKO nerve fiber layer. Arteries (A), veins (V), and bulging EC clusters emerging from mutant capillaries (arrows) are indicated. Scale bar, 100 μm. d High contrast images of isolectin B4-stained vessels in the P14 nerve fiber layer. Filopodia-extending sprouts (arrowheads) can be seen on control capillaries, whereas blunt ends of Ilk^iECKO vessels are associated with isolectin B4+ macrophages (arrows). Scale bar, 25 μm. e Confocal images of β-catenin (green) and isolectin B4 (white) stained control and Ilk^iECKO P6 retina sections. Presence (control) or absence (Ilk^iECKO) of β-catenin in endothelial nuclei (red arrows) in images with or without DAPI signal. Scale bar, 20 μm. f Overview images of LEF1 and isolectin B4 stained retina of control and Ilk^iECKO. Arteries (A) and veins (V) are indicated. Scale bar, 200 μm. g Confocal high magnification images of Pvlap (blue) and isolectin B4 (green) stained control and Ilk^iECKO retinas. Note enhanced Pvlap staining of Ilk^iECKO vessels and strong signal in distal EC clusters (arrows). Scale bar, 50 μm. Source data are provided as a Source Data file