Figure 3

Smpx-deficiency leads to a lower number of intact neuromasts in morphant and crispant larvae. (A) Quantification of the reduced number of intact neuromasts in smpxMO versus ctrlMO larvae. (B,C) Representative confocal images of ctrlMO and smpxMO larvae labeled with an anti-acetylated tubulin antibody (magenta). Larvae were counterstained with DAPI to visualize cell nuclei. Insets in C show magnified neuromasts lacking the innermost nuclei and the knocilia of the HCs (compare to inset in B). (D) Quantification of the reduced number of intact neuromasts in smpx^crispant versus ctrl larvae. (E,F) Representative confocal images of immunofluorescence experiments with an anti-GFP antibody in ctrl and smpx^crispanttg (cldnb:GFP) transgenic larvae. Insets in F display magnified neuromasts showing the depletion of the innermost cell cluster (compare to inset in E). (A,D) Unpaired t-test was performed to assess statistical significance by setting p ≤ 0.05 (*), p ≤ 0.01 (**), p ≤ 0.001 (***) and p ≤ 0.0001 (****) as significant. (A) ctrlMO n = 8, smpxMO n = 8. (D) ctrl n = 19, smpx^crispant n = 22. (B,C and E,F) Confocal Z-stacks images taken from 120 hpf whole mount larvae; lateral views, anterior to the left. Scale bars are 500 µm.