Fig. 7

mab21l2 ^−/− mutants display corneal dysgenesis and failure of stromal patterning. A‐D,G‐J: Wild‐type (A‐D) and mab21l2 ^−/− mutant (G‐J) sections demonstrating corneal phenotypes. At 30 and 36 hpf, when compared with wild‐type eyes (A‐C), mab21l2 ^−/− lenses (G‐I) appear continuous with the overlying surface ectoderm. At 48 hpf, mab21l2 ^−/− mutants (J) possess a multilayered mass of cells (arrowhead) at the ocular surface when compared with wild‐type (D). E,F,K,L: Laminin α1 distribution in 36 hpf wild‐type (E,F) and mab21l2 ^−/− mutant (K,L) embryos demonstrating the presence of ectopic, nonlens, nonretinal cells in mab21l2 ^−/− mutants (K, arrowheads). M‐N′: BrdU incorporation assays of 36 hpf wild‐type (M) and mab21l2 ^−/− mutant (N) embryos. At 36 hpf, mab21l2 ^−/− mutants (N) possess more corneal cells, but these cells are not ectopically proliferative relative to wild‐type (M). Zooms in M′ and N′; dotted lines show area counted for quantification. O‐P: Corneal keratan sulfate (CKS) stain of 5 dpf wild‐type (O) and mab21l2 ^−/− mutant (P) embryos. Mutants do not properly express CKS in the stroma. Q‐S: Quantification of total and BrdU⁺ corneal cells in M and N. (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.27, respectively). Scale bars = 50 μm