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Fig. 5 Innervation of the caudal fin bony rays by DRG axons is not required for caudal fin ray and endothelial patterning. (A-C) Representative confocal projections of caudal fins from the indicated genotypes expressing the endothelial marker Tg(fli1a:EGFP) fixed at the indicated stages and stained for axons (acetylated tubulin antibody) and calcified matrix (Alizarin Red S). Note the lack of ray-associated axons in the adgra2 and erbb3b mutants. Yellow arrowheads indicate the hypural diastema (HD). (D-G) Box plots of axon density, branching index, number of endpoints, and vessel density for fins of the indicated genotypes. Wilcoxon rank sum test between adgra2 siblings and adgra2 mutants (axon density, P=0.000666; branching index, P=0.345; number of endpoints, P=0.1551; vessel density, P=0.8518). adgra2 sibling fish, n=8 (mean SL=6.01 mm±0.11 s.d.). adgra2 mutant fish, n=6 (mean SL=6.0 mm±0.48 s.d.). Wilcoxon rank sum test between erbb3b siblings and erbb3b mutants (axon density, P=2.809e−05; branching index, P=0.6993; number of endpoints, P=0.004654; vessel density, P=0.9615) erbb3b sibling fish, n=19 (mean SL=6.34 mm±0.29 s.d.). erbb3b mutant fish, n=9 (mean SL=6.89 mm±0.45 s.d.). **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. n.s., non-significant. Data are representative of at least two biological replicates. Scale bars: 100 μm (A-C).