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. 2020 Apr 7;9:e53582. doi: 10.7554/eLife.53582

Figure 2. Cyp4f39-deficient mice exhibit dry eye.

Figure 2.

(A) Blink frequency was measured in 1–12-month-old Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ (n = 7), Tg-Cyp4f39+/– (n = 9), and Tg-Cyp4f39–/– (n = 14) mice. The total number of measurements for mice at each age were: Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ mice, 11 at 1–3 months, 19 at 4–6 months, 10 at 7–9 months, 4 at 10–12 months; Tg-Cyp4f39+/– mice, 12 at 1–3 months, 24 at 4–6 months, 18 at 7–9 months, 8 at 10–12 months; and Tg-Cyp4f39–/– mice, 35 at 1–3 months, 45 at 4–6 months, 18 at 7–9 months, and 11 at 10–12 months. Values presented are means of blink rate per min ± SD (*, p<0.05; **, p<0.01; Tukey-Kramer’s test). Break-up time (BUT) (B) and corneal damage score (C) were measured for 8–17-month-old Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ (n = 3) and Tg-Cyp4f39–/– (n = 4) mice. Experiments were performed on both eyes, and 5 and 4 measurements were obtained from Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ and Tg-Cyp4f39–/–mice, respectively. Values presented are means ± SD (*, p<0.05; **, p<0.01; Student’s t-test). (D) Upper eyelids from 6–12-month-old Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ mice and 6–14-month-old Tg-Cyp4f39–/– mice and photographed under a light microscope. The lower images are enlarged views of the areas surrounded by yellow rectangles in the upper images. The white arrows represent obstruction of the meibomian gland orifice. (E) Tear quantity was measured in 10–12-month-old Tg-Cyp4f39+/+ (n = 3), Tg-Cyp4f39+/– (n = 7), and Tg-Cyp4f39–/– (n = 11) mice using the phenol red-thread test. Values presented are means ± SD (*, p<0.05; Student’s t-test). Tg +/+, Tg-Cyp4f39+/+; Tg +/–, Tg-Cyp4f39+/–; Tg –/–, Tg-Cyp4f39–/–; ER, eyelid rim; MG, meibomian gland.