Fig. 8. Lymphatic vessel defects in the lung and the gut of Nrp2 mutants. (A-G) Transverse sections of the lung of E17 (A-D) and P0 (E-G) mice stained with antibodies directed against the indicated proteins. (A,B) Note presence of lymphatics of the thoracic duct in both Nrp2^+/+ and Nrp2^–/– embryos (asterisks), while VEGFR3-positive capillaries in the Nrp2^–/– lung are almost completely absent (arrowheads, A,B). (C,D) PECAM staining of the alveolar blood-vascular capillaries is uniform in both genotypes, arteries (A) and veins (V) are also present in both genotypes. (E,F) Co-expression of VEGFR3 and NRP2 in larger lymphatics (asterisks), as well as in numerous capillaries (E,F, arrowheads). (G) Lymphatic capillaries are absent in Nrp2^–/– lung, while lymphatics surrounding the bronchi are present (asterisks). (H,I) Transverse sections through the gut of E17 embryos. Note numerous subserosal VEGFR3-positive vessels in the Nrp2^+/+ gut, which are reduced in the Nrp2^–/– gut (H, I, arrowheads). Scale bars: in A, 275 µm for A-D,H,I; in E, 325 µm for E-G. Ao, aorta.

Return to article