Figure 3

Transverse or sagittal sections show the immunoreactivities for Bmp4 (A-F), Msx1 (G-J) and Pax3 (K-S) in the embryonic heart of control and diabetic mice. Compared with control (A, B, C: arrows), the immunoreactivity for Bmp4 appears to be down-regulated in the ventricular myocardium (D), in the OFT (E), and in cardiomyocytes overlying the EC (F: arrows) in diabetic offspring. In addition, experimental embryos display VSD (D: asterisk). In experimental embryos with AVC defects (I: asterisk), the Msx1 expression in endocardial cells in the AVC (I: arrow) and in the EC mesenchyme cells (J) appears to be reduced when compared to controls (G, H). Inset shows the area containing the Msx1 positive cells (G, I). In experimental embryos with VSD (Q: asterisk), the number of Pax3 positive cells appears to be reduced around the OFT (P), in the atrial wall (r: arrow) and in the EC (S: arrowhead) as compared with those of controls (K, L, M: arrow, N: arrowhead, O). Sketch diagrams show the lateral view of mouse (T: dotted lines indicate the orientation of cut sections in figure 3A, D, K, L, P, Q) and the sagittal view of the heart (U: indicate the orientation of cut sections in figure 3B, C, E-J, M-O, R, S). Bar B, C, E, F, H, J, K, M-P, R, S 50 μm; A, D, G, I, L, Q 200 μm