Fig. 2.

Histological analysis of the microphthalmia phenotype. The comparative histological staining between the wild-type and homozygous Aey69 eyes are shown. Eye development is demonstrated from embryonic day E10.5 until postnatal day (P) 7. The figure summarizes the major disruptions in development starting from the lens vesicle stage of E11.5 (a–d) and the overgrowing of the retina into the empty lens space after birth (e–h). In particular, at E11.5 in the wild type there is no surface ectoderm connection between the future cornea and lens. However, in the mutant the surface ectoderm connection is maintained (as highlighted by black arrows) through the embryonic stages of E11.5-E13.5, when the lens gradually disappears. Further changes in later embryonic stages are also highlighted by their respective black arrows: at E15.5 increased infiltration of periocular mesenchymal cells into the mutant vitreal space, at E17.5 altered bending of retinal layers anterior to the cornea, and at P1 the mutant retinal layers are observed to be much thicker compared to the wild type. The bars indicate 100 μm at E10.5-E12.5, 50 μm at E13.5 - E15.5, and 0.1 mm at P7. L, lens; R, retina; ON, optic nerve; INBL, inner neuroblastic layer; ONBL, outer neuroblastic layer.