Fig. 1

Characterization of (stim2a;stim2b)−/− zebrafish line. (A) The phenotype of 18-month-old (stim2a;stim2b)−/− fish was indistinguishable from (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ fish. Length of fish was measured from the nose to the base of the tail, n = 4 (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ females, n = 11 (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ males, n = 7 (stim2a;stim2b)−/− females, and n = 4 (stim2a;stim2b)−/− males. (B) mRNA levels of genes associated with the SOCE response in (stim2a;stim2b)−/− zebrafish relative to (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ zebrafish. The data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of n = 3 samples/group. *p < 0.05. (C) Histopathological changes in the corpuscles of Stannius (marked with arrows) with observed changes in AB/PAS affinity (AB/PAS staining) and (D) alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium in (stim2a;stim2b)−/− fish (HE staining). (E) Width of retina layers in adult (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ and (stim2a;stim2b)−/− zebrafish, n = 12 (stim2a;stim2b)+/+ and n = 13 (stim2a;stim2b)−/−. AB, Alcian blue; GCL, ganglion cell layer; HE, hematoxylin and eosin; INL, inner nuclear layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer; PAS, Periodic Acid-Schiff; PL, photoreceptors layer; RPE, retinal pigmented epithelium; SOCE, store-operated calcium entry.