Fig. 4. Type I sensory neuron defects in Rfx mutant embryos. Embryonic peripheral nervous system was observed by immunostaining in wild-type and Rfx mutant embryos. Nomarski observation of 22C10 staining on wild-type (A) or Rfx⁴⁹ mutant embryos (B). No differences in the number and position of PNS neurons are observed. (C-H) Anti-HRP staining of wild-type (C,E), control Rfx²⁵³/TM6B (G) or Rfx⁴⁹ mutant (D,F,H) lateral chordotonal organs (lch5). Staining is revealed with a peroxidase-coupled secondary antibody (C-F) and with a fluorescent secondary antibody (G-H). In mutant embryos, staining is strongly affected and neuron groups appear disorganized (D). When staining is strong enough to visualize dendrites in mutant embryos, cilia (arrowhead) are often absent (F) when compared with wild-type embryos (C,E). Note the labeled dendritic cap (arrow) enclosing the cilium also present in wild-type (C) or mutant embryos (F). (G,H) Fluorescent labeling allows accurate visualization of the terminal dendritic structures caused by a faint staining of the dendritic cap. In Rfx mutant embryos (H) the cilium (arrowhead) is always shorter or absent compared with control embryos (G).

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