Fig. 1.

Cx43 maintains the redox homeostasis of the ocular lens. (A) Cryosections of eyeballs from WT (Cx43^+/+) and Cx43^+/− mice were immunostained with anti-GPX1 (red) or anti-SOD1 (green) antibody (upper panel). Scale bar = 500 μm. High resolution fluorescence images (lower panel) of anterior (AT) and equator (EQ) region of lenses are indicated by frames on whole cross-section images (corresponding upper panels). Scale bar = 20 μm. (B and C) The fluorescence signals of SOD1 (B) and GPX1 (C) positive areas were quantified by NIH ImageJ software. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. (n = 4). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 (Unpaired T-test). (D) The lenses of WT and Cx43^+/− mice were carefully dissected and kept transparent in culture media for 24 h at 37 °C before being treated with 0.5 mM H₂O₂. Photographic images were taken at the identical magnification using a dissecting microscope. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)