Fig. 4. Disrupting N-cadherin adhesion in neural crest cells alters sympathetic ganglion formation. (A,B) EGFP-labeled trunk neural crest cells in anlagen of sympathetic ganglia (dashed circle), E3.5 embryo. (A) IgG control injected embryo with discrete sympathetic ganglion formation. (B) NCD2 in ovo injected embryo analyzed at E3.5. Discrete ganglion formation observed with increase in length (anteroposterior direction), compared to control injected embryos. (C) Schematic showing length comparison of sympathetic ganglia (L_sg) compared to length of somites (L_s) at the same axial level in injected embryos. (D) Area comparison of EGFP control (n=9), FL-cadherin (n=11; ^*P<0.001) and DN-cadherin (n=14; ^*P<0.004) electroporated embryos imaged at E3.5 after sympathetic ganglion formation is complete. (E) Length comparison of sympathetic ganglia in control EGFP, 48.6±4.1% (s.d.; n=10), IgG control inhibitor, 50.0±2.5% (n=8), FL-cadherin-pMES, 52.0±2.9% (n=14), NCD2 inhibitor, 70.5±4.9% (n=18) and DN-cadherin-pMES, 75.8±4.6% (n=11) electroporated embryos at E3, incubated and imaged at E3.5. Yellow bar, EGFP control electroporated neural crest cells; light blue, IgG control injected blocking antibody into EGFP control labeled embryo; dark blue bar, FL-cadherin electroporated neural crest cells; pink bar, NCD2 blocking antibody injected into EGFP labeled embryos; red bar, DN-cadherin electroporated neural crest cells.^*P<0.0001. Scale bar: 40 µm in A,B. c, caudal somite; drg, dorsal root ganglia; nt, neural tube; r, rostral somite; sg, sympathetic ganglia.