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. 2021 Oct 13;7(42):eabf7472. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abf7472

Fig. 4. Reduction in the number of neuronal precursors and enteric neurons in Kif7 cKO mice.

Fig. 4.

(A) Schematic diagram illustrating the subtypes of ENCCs and their expression markers during ENS development. (B) Immunohistochemistry showed the neuronal precursors (NPearly: Tuj1+ YFP+) (filled arrowheads) in the transverse sections of E11.5 control (Wnt1-Cre;Rosa26YFP) and Kif7 mutant (Wnt1-Cre;Kif7f/f;Rosa26YFP) guts. n = number of embryos analyzed. Scale bars, 50 μm. The number of neuronal precursors in the control and mutants as a percentage of the total number of YFP+ ENCCs was measured and is shown in the bar chart. (C) Table shows the densities of neuronal and glial (cell number/mm2) progenitors in E13.5 control and Kif7 cKO hindguts, as revealed by immunohistochemistry with neuronal (HuC/D) and glial (B-Fabp) markers. (D) Neuron (HuC/D+)–to–glia (B-Fabp+) ratios in E13.5 control and Kif7 cKO guts were measured and are shown in the bar chart (n = 6). Scale bars, 25 μm. (E) The progenitors (Ret+ Sox10+) of the submucosal plexuses and muscle layer (SMA+) were detected in E18.5 guts using immunofluorescence. The number of progenitor cells (arrowheads) was measured as a percentage of the total number of ENCC derivatives—progenitors (Ret+ Sox10+), neurons (Ret+ Sox10−), and glia (Ret− Sox10+) in control and Kif7 cKO colons—and is shown in the bar chart. The error bars indicate ± SEM for 5 to 12 transverse sections from six embryos. Scale bars, 50 μm.