Ectopic cone photoreceptors persist in flh-depleted fgf8ax15 mutants. (A,B) Dorsal views of 96 hpf WT and fgf8ax15 mutant zebrafish embryos injected with flh morpholino (flhMO) labeled with foxd3:GFP (pineal complex) and Arr3a (cone photoreceptors). In WT injected with flhMO, a full-sized parapineal organ (dotted line) is evident, but pineal cells are reduced in number. In flhMO-injected fgf8ax15 mutants, no parapineal organ is visible. (C) The number of foxd3:GFP-expressing cells is unchanged between fgf8ax15;flhMO and WT;flhMO. However, the number of cone photoreceptors increased in fgf8ax15;flhMO relative to WT;flhMO larvae (**P<0.005 by t-test). Error bars represent s.e.m. n.s., not significant. Scale bar: 25 μm.
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