FIGURE 7:

Adult cx43^lh10 zebrafish exhibit misdeveloped, unorganized, and functionally impaired vasculature. (A) Representative images of vasculature organization and morphology in the caudal fins of 1-y-old WT and cx43^lh10 fish. Typical organization of veins (located along the periphery of fin rays) and arteries (located at the center of fin rays), direction of blood flow (indicated by blue and red arrows), and typical diameter of veins and arteries in WT (left) and vessel disorganization typically seen in cx43^lh10 fish (right). (B) Quantification of vessels indicates a significant diameter disproportion in cx43^lh10 compared with WT fins (n = 14 for WT, 17 for cx43^lh10 fish, p ≤ 0.05). (C) Mislocalization of arteries and veins (based on the direction of blood flow) in WT and cx43^lh10 mutant fish (n = 14 for WT, 17 for cx43^lh10 fish). (D) Representative still images at 5 s intervals taken from movie sequences indicating the distance blood flowed in vessels of WT and cx43^lh10 fins. (E) Quantification indicates a significantly reduced blood flow in veins and arteries in cx43^lh10 vs. WT fins (n = 10 for WT and cx43^lh10 each, p ≤ 0.05; error: SEM). (Also see Supplemental Movies 3 and 4.)