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Figure 2 | BMC Neuroscience

Figure 2

From: Shox2 is required for the proper development of the facial motor nucleus and the establishment of the facial nerves

Figure 2

Facial nerve truncations in Shox2-mutant animals. a–d Side view of the E11.5 (a, b) or E11.75 (c, d) face of control (a, c), Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− (b) and Shox2 −/− (d) embryos stained with the 2H3 anti-neurofilament antibody. At E11.5 the main branch of the facial nerve (VII) begins to separate into smaller projections in control embryos (a, arrows), while a single branch is visible in Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− conditional knockout embryos (compare a to b, arrows). At E11.75 the facial nerve is noticeably truncated in the Shox2 −/− embryos (compare c to d, arrows), while the trigeminal nerve (V; a–d, arrowheads) remains intact. e–h Side view of the E12.5 face of control (e) and Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− (f–h) embryos stained with the 2H3 antibody display the range in severity of facial nerve truncation, with f being the least severe truncation and h being the most severe truncation observed in Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− embryos (compare e to f–h, dashed-box). (i–n) Side view of the E13.5 (i, j), E14.5 (k, l) and P0 (m, n) face of control (i, k, m) and Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− (j, l, n) animals stained with the 2H3 antibody. At E13.5 and E14.5 the zygomatic (z), superior buccolabial (sbl), inferior buccolabial (ibl) and marginal mandibular (mm) nerve branches can be seen in control (i, k) embryos but are not visible in Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− (j, l) embryos (compare i to j and k to l, arrows). At P0 the truncated remnants of what appears to be the superior buccolabial nerve were observable in Nestin-Cre; Shox2 flox/− pups (compare m to n, arrows). ey eye, b buccal nerve, sm superficial masseter nerve. Scale bar 500 μm.

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