Fig. 5

Melanophores were significantly decreased in tfec−/− mutants at 14 and 35 dpf. (A-D) At 14 dpf, the iris, operculum and peritoneum were covered by iridophores in wild-type fish, with 7–9 blurry black vertical bars on the body surface (A-B), while no iridophores were observed in the iris, operculum and peritoneum and no black vertical bars on the body surface tfec−/− mutants (C-D). (E-H) At 35 dpf, the iris and body skin were covered by iridophores in wild-type fish, with 7–9 black vertical bars on the body surface (E-F), while no iridophores, sparse melanophores and 7–9 blurry black vertical bars were observed on the body surface in tfec−/− mutants (G-H). (I-P) At 90 dpf, the black vertical bars on the body surface of wild-type fish were more pronounced (I), with a significant number of iridophores covering the body skin (J), operculum (K), and abdomen (L), while no black vertical bars and iridophores were observed on the body surface in tfec−/− mutants (M-P). The tfec−/− mutants displayed black iris (color of RPE) due to the loss of iridophores resulting in transparency of the iris. (Q) Quantification of melanophore in B and D. (R) Quantification of melanophore on the B1 and I1 in F and H. (S) Quantification of melanophore on the B2 and I2 in F and H. (T) Quantification of melanophore in J and N. Data in Q-T are expressed as mean ± SD (n = 6). Blue arrowheads indicate iridophores, B1, B2, I1 and I2 represent the first bar, second bar, first interbar and second interbar on the trunk, respectively. Scale bar in A-H, 1 mm; Scale bar in I, M, 2 mm; Scale bar in J, N, 100 μm; Scale bar in K-L, O-P, 250 μm.