Figure 6. Generation of Vgf-KO mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Coronal sections of thalamus (left groups) and S1 cortex (right groups) of wild-type and Vgf-deficient mice at P8 stained with anti-VGF (A), -RORC (B), and -5HTT (B) antibodies. (C) Quantification of the size of the VB nucleus: 111,800.71 ± 3366.63 µm² (wild-type), 106,920 ± 2667.67 µm² (Vgf-KO), N = 8 mice for both, p = 0.235, Mann–Whitney U test. Note that VGF protein is lost in the VB and cortical layer 4 of Vgf^−/− mice, whereas expression of RORα+β in the VB and the presence of 5HTT-positive thalamocortical axon (TCA) terminals in cortical layer 4 were not affected. Scale bars, 200 μm (A and B, left panel), 500 μm (B, right panel).