Fig. 2. Pds5B deficiency results in growth retardation, abnormal skeletal patterning and cleft palate. (A) The weight of Pds5B^-/- P0 mice is lower than that of wild-type littermates (WT, n=43 and Pds5B^-/- mice, n=35). Error bars represent s.e.m. ^*P<0.001, Student's unpaired t-test. (B,C) Morphology of wild-type and mutant mice. (B) Note short stature, facial dysmorphism, short limbs (arrow), short snout (arrowhead), and small head in Pds5B^-/- compared to wild-type P0 mice. (C) Short mandible (arrow) in Pds5B^-/- neonate (right) compared to wild-type (left). (D-I) Alizarin Red S and Alcian Blue staining of newborn mouse skeleton. Red indicates bone and blue indicates cartilage. (D) Mandibles; (E) ulna, radius and humerus of forelimbs; (F) scapula of forelimbs. Bone lengths (square bracket) are indicated by numbers (lengths in mm ± s.d.). Note the length of mandible, ulna, radius and humerus is significantly shorter in Pds5B^-/- compared to wild-type. Sample sizes for each genotype range from 18 to 34. P<0.001, Student's unpaired t-test. (G) Sternum. Arrows, unfused ossification centers; arrowheads, delayed or missing ossification centers. (H) Ribs. The arrow points to the C7-T1 fusion. (I) Thoracic (T) and lumbar (L) vertebrae. The arrow points to the unfused L3 vertebra and arrowheads point to the hypoplastic 13th ribs in Pds5B^-/- neonate. (J,K) Complete cleft palate (arrow) and thin upper-lip (arrowhead) of a Pds5B^-/- neonate (K) compared with wild-type control (J). (L,M) Alizarin Red S and Alcian Blue staining of neonate skulls. The edges of palatal bones are marked by dashed lines. Posterior parts of the palatal bones in Pds5B^-/- mutant failed to meet at the midline (arrows, M), compared with wild-type littermate (L). (N-S) Palatogenesis defects illustrated using H&E stained coronal sections of wild-type and Pds5B^-/- E12.5, E14.5, and E18.5 embryos. Wild-type (N-P); Pds5B^-/- (Q-S). ps, palatal shelf; n, nasal bone; to, tongue. Arrow in S points to the unfused palatal shelves. Scale bars:1 mm.