Figure 3.

Ym2 knockdown in Sox2-Cre^ERT2/Ym2^fl/fl mice with tamoxifen induction. A, Confocal image of FISH against Ym2-mRNA and immunostaining against Sox2 on an OE section from a 3-week-old mouse. B, Scheme of tamoxifen-induced Ym2 knockdown in methimazole-lesioned OE. Repeated tamoxifen injections ensure Ym2 knockdown in continuously generated supporting cells. C, Statistical analysis on intensity of Ym2 antibody staining in the OE on day 7 post-methimazole injection (n = 20 and 17 sections from three control and tamoxifen-treated mice, respectively). a.u., Arbitrary units. D–I′, Confocal images of immunostaining against Ym2 and Sox2 in anterior (D, D′), middle (F, F′), and posterior (H, H′) regions with tamoxifen induction compared with the corresponding regions (anterior, E, E′; middle, G, G′; posterior, I, I′) in controls injected with sunflower oil (day 7 post-methimazole injection). Statistical significance was determined by unpaired Student's t test. C: ***p = 0.0002 (t₍₃₅₎ = 4.157). SC, Supporting cell; BC, basal cell; Tam, tamoxifen; Ctrl, control. Scale bars: D, F, H, 100 μm; A, D′, F′, H′, 20 μm.