Fig. 5. Pds5B-deficient mice manifest germ cell defects. GCNA1 staining of germ cells of WT (A) and Pds5B^-/- (B) neonatal ovaries, and WT (C) and Pds5B^-/- (D) neonatal testes show reduced germ cells in Pds5B^-/- mice. Arrows point to empty testicular cords in D. (E,F) GCNA1 immunohistochemical analysis of E16.5 germ cells in WT (E) and Pds5B-deficient (F) testes shows a reduction in germ cells during embryogenesis. (G,H) GCNA1 staining of two-week testes transplants of E16.5 wild-type (G) and Pds5B^-/- mice (H). In contrast to the presence of germ cells in the periphery of WT seminiferous tubules (G), note complete loss of germ cells in Pds5B^-/- testis explant (H). ^*Non-specific auto-fluorescence signal; red, GCNA1; blue, bisbenzimide. (I) Quantitative analysis of germ cells in E16.5 testes of WT and Pds5B-deficient mice (n=4 for each genotype). Error bars represent SEM. ^*P<0.001, Student's unpaired t-test. (J) Proliferation index measured by BrdU incorporation in GCNA1-positive germ cells at E12.5 (n=3 for each genotype and 100 GCNA1-positive cells were counted for each animal). Error bars represent s.e.m. ^*P<0.05, Student's paired t-test. Scale bars: 50 µm.