Fig. 2. Gata4 deficient embryos develop cardiac and gut tubes but no derivative
organs. (A-C) Shown at 3 dpf are (A) a representative control embryo (WT), and
embryos derived from eggs injected with (B) the morpholino targeting the Gata4
5'UTR (MO) or (C) the morpholino targeting an intron/exon boundary
(MO1). The morphant fish display a kink in the tail (white arrowheads), a
pericardial edema (black arrows), and regression of the yolk stalk extension
(black arrowheads). (D,E) Control embryo (D) and a representative morphant
(E), showing a relative lack of blood in the linear but constricted heart tube
at 3 dpf in the morphant (red arrow). (F) At 5 dpf, the morphant linear heart
tube (red arrow) is distended. Views are lateral, dorsal to the top and
anterior to the right. (G) At 8 dpf, a linear gut tube is shown (arrow),
running the length of the morphant body. (H-M) Representative histological
cross sections through control (WT) or morphant (MO) embryos. Equivalent
sections are progressively more caudal, at the level of the heart (H,K),
mid-pancreas (I,L) or the caudal end of the swim bladder (J,M). A, atrium; V,
ventricle; HT, heart tube; P, pancreas; L, liver; I, intestine; Y, yolk.