Fig. 8. Late ablation of the DML. (A) Confocal image of a desmin-labelled embryo in which a DML at the wing-level was ablated at E4 and the embryo reincubated for 3 days. Bars extend between corresponding segments on opposing sides of the embryo, the unbroken bar marks the DML ablated segment (asterisk) and broken bars run between non-operated neighbours. The medial unisegmental muscle is absent at the level of the DML ablation when compared with the unoperated control side. (B) A higher magnification of the operated area from the embryo shown in A. (C) An embryo in which a wing-level DML was exposed and treated with enzyme but not ablated at E4, and the embryo reincubated for 3 days. Corresponding segments are marked as above. The medial segmented muscle is present, some disruption is evident in the more superficial, lateral multisegmental muscle at the operated site. The mock-operated control embryo shown in C is slightly older than that shown in A,B. (D) High-magnification view of the medial limit of one segment of the embryo shown in C. A mononucleate myocyte (an arrow marks the nucleus and arrowheads mark its rostral and caudal ends) is present at the medial extremity and multinucleate myotubes are apparent laterally.

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