TABLE 1.
Age | Embryo genotype |
No. of embryos | No. of somites (mean ± SD) |
Crown to rump length (mm) (mean ± SD) |
Neural tube open (no. of embryos) |
Conforms to Mendelian ratio? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E8.5/E8.75 | Mthfd1l+/+ | 39 | 7.0 ± 3.4 | 1.15 ± 0.25 | 100% (39) | Yes |
Mthfd1lz/+ | 71 | 5.7 ± 3.6 | 1.08 ± 0.24 | 100% (71) | p = .11 | |
Mthfd1lz/z | 23 | 1.6 ± 2.3* | 0.68 ± 0.18* | 100% (23) | ||
E9.5 | Mthfd1l+/+ | 49 | 21.9 ± 3.1 | 2.39 ± 0.50 | 0% (0) | Yes |
Mthfd1lz/+ | 74 | 21.8 ± 3.2 | 2.37 ± 0.46 | 4% (3) | p = .07 | |
Mthfd1lz/z | 29 | 10.5 ± 3.6* | 1.46 ± 0.32* | 97% (28) | ||
E10.5 | Mthfd1l+/+ | 45 | 33.5 ± 5.7 | 4.07 ± 1.18 | 2% (1) | No |
Mthfd1lz/+ | 79 | 32.6 ± 5.3 | 4.13 ± 0.84 | 9% (7) | p = .02 | |
Mthfd1lz/z | 22 | 23.9 ± 5.1* | 2.75 ± 0.67* | 68% (15)a |
Note: Embryos were dissected from a total of 78 dams at each indicated age. Numbers of somites in Mthfd1lz/z were statistically lower compared to Mthfd1l+/+ (p < .0001 by one-way ANOVA for each age group; asterisk indicates significant difference in Mthfd1lz/z compared with Mthfd1l+/+ or Mthfd1lz/+at the p < .05 level by Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test). Number of embryos showing partially or completely open neural tube in the head were counted. Mendelian observed and expected ratios were compared the using Chi-square test.
Mutant embryos whose neural tubes had closed were small, pale, and/or having a wavy neural tube and abnormally formed heads.