Fig. 4. Germ cell specific ablation of GP130 causes a breeding defect in females. (A) Breeding performance of GCKO females and their wild-type or heterozygous littermates. Four-month-old females were bred three times and the number of pups in each litter were recorded. GCKO females (n=8) produced statistically fewer pups in their second and third litters (Student's t-test) as compared with their littermates (n=8). Error bars show standard deviations. (B-E) Cre-mediated excision of GP130 results in accumulation of a secreted form of the protein. GP130 staining (red) was performed using the ggp130 antibody. (B) Staining in an antral-stage oocyte from a GP130Flox/GP130 Cre+ (GCKO) animal. The surface of the oocyte can be seen in the light transmitted image (right). GP130 staining fills the zona. (C) Staining in an antral-stage oocyte from a wild-type female. (D) Staining in an antral-stage oocyte from a GP130+/GP130 Cre-female. (E) Summary of staining data from six GCKO ovaries and six heterozygous sibling controls. Staining intensity was quantified by summing the pixel intensities within the secreted ring of GP130. Three oocytes per ovary were quantified and their staining intensity was averaged. Error bars represent standard deviations. Scale bars: 20 µm.

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