Figure 4

Kif11 coexpression with Flt4-positive lymphatic vessels during mouse embryonic development.

Mouse embryonic sections from developmental stages (A) E10.5, (B) E11.5, (C) E12.5 and (D) E13.5 were processed by H&E staining, immunofluorescence staining, or RNA hybridization. Selected magnified (framed) areas highlight embryonic regions containing dermal lymphatics and the thoracic duct. These regions were imaged using DAPI staining (blue; channel 2) as well as for Kif11 (red; channel 3) and Flt4 (white; channel 4) mRNA expression; merged images are also shown. Arrowheads indicate areas with coexpression of Kif11 and Flt4 mRNA. Additional labeling was added to facilitate the understanding of the embryonic anatomy: A, artery; DLV, dermal lymphatic vessel; LEC, lymphatic endothelial cell; NC, notochord; NT, neural tube; O, esophagus; PLV, peripheral lymphatic vessel; PTD, primordial thoracic duct; T, trachea; V, vein. Scale bars: 100 μm. (E) Quantification of Kif11 and Flt4 mRNA signals from dermal (purple) and thoracic duct (light green) of different stages of mouse embryo development. RNAscope signals were measured from 6–8 different areas of 25 μm². (F) Bar chart represents Kif11 (red) and Flt4 (VEGFR3) (white) mRNA signal ratio in dermal versus thoracic duct (Td) during different stages of mouse embryo development.