Fig. 4. Expression of the germ cell markers (Mvh and TRA98) and the immature cell marker (4C9) in the testes of control (A) and Pten mutant (B) mice during embryogenesis. Sections of testes at E11.5, E16.5 and P0 were double-stained with TRA98 (green) and anti-Mvh (red) antibodies. Adjacent or neighboring sections of the same samples were stained with 4C9 (brown) antibody. Similarly, sections of E13.5 gonads were double-stained with anti-Mvh (green) and 4C9 (red) antibodies, and adjacent sections were stained with TRA98 (green) antibody. At E13.5, all 4C9-positive PGCs expressed the germ-lineage-specific marker Mvh. In E16.5 mutant gonads, TRA98-positive teratoma cells, which were Mvh negative or weakly positive for Mvh (arrowheads), and outgrowth of these cells (arrow) were observed. In P0, large teratomas that were Mvh negative, weakly positive for TRA98 and 4C9 positive were observed. Scale bars: 50 µm. At each developmental stage, at least three mice were examined and essentially similar results were obtained.

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