FIGURE 2.

Connexin 50 (Cx50, green) and phalloidin (F-actin, red) staining in cross sections from control, EphA2^–/– and ephrin-A5^–/– lenses. Images are from the periphery to the inner mature fiber cells of the lens. (A) In control lens fibers, Cx50 is present at the cell membrane of peripheral cells and enriched in large plaques in the middle of the long sides of those cells. As fiber cells mature, Cx50 is distributed around the cell membrane with slight enrichment at the short sides. Unexpectedly, in EphA2^–/– peripheral lens fibers, there is a distinct region where the Cx50 signal is reduced at the cell membrane and is no longer in large plaques in the middle of the long side of the fibers (pound signs and high magnification panels on the right). As the cells mature, the Cx50 signal in EphA2^–/– fiber cells is comparable to the control. (B) Cx50 staining signals are comparable between control and ephrin-A5^–/– lens fibers in the peripheral and mature fibers. Scale bars, 20 and 5 μm.