Figure 4.

Genetically modified model of KIF13B knockout shows inhibition on laser-induced CNV and sprouting from choroidal vessels. (A, B, C, D) Impaired CNV in global KIF13B KO. KIF13B^KO and WT counterparts received laser burn. Representative images of fundus before and after laser burn at day 1, OCT and angiography at days 7 and 14 are shown in A. Representative image of the CNV lesion on flat-mount of choroid/sclera stained with DyLight594-ILB4 is shown in B. Bars: 100 µm for OCT, 200 µm for ILB4 staining. Four laser burns were induced in each mouse, and the average of neovascularization area per mouse is shown in graphs C and D. The cross-section of CNV area in OCT was measured and plotted in graph C. CNV surface area of the flat-mount was assessed by the area of ILB4-staining and plotted in graph D. Student's t-test (N = 9, 14 in WT and KO, respectively). (E, F) Inhibition of choroidal sprouting in KIF13B^KO. Choroidal tissues isolated from KIF13B^WT and KIF13B^KO (7 to 9 weeks old) were dissected and embedded into Matrigel. Seven days after embedding, the sprouting area from choroidal tissues was measured and shown in the graph as mean ± SE. The scatter plot represents the sprouting area from each choroidal tissue fragment. We dissected four to five pieces from each mouse and repeated the experiment three times (N = 12, 13 for WT and KO, respectively. N is the number of choroidal tissue fragments.) Representative images are shown. Scale bars: 500 µm.