Fig. 5: Activation of the ERK/MAPK results in increased expression of POMC and PRL with a portion of Sox2+ve progenitor/stem cells co-expressing POMC and PRL. | Nature Communications

Fig. 5: Activation of the ERK/MAPK results in increased expression of POMC and PRL with a portion of Sox2+ve progenitor/stem cells co-expressing POMC and PRL.

From: Activating mutations in BRAF disrupt the hypothalamo-pituitary axis leading to hypopituitarism in mice and humans

Fig. 5

Double immunofluorescence (IF) against POMC (green, a–f), PRL (green, g–l) and Sox2 (red, a–l) on coronal sections of E18.5 Wt pituitaries (a–c, g–i) and Prop1:Cre;BrafV600E/+ (d–f, j–l). The Prop1:Cre;BrafV600E/+ mutant pituitaries (d) exhibit a higher number of POMC+ve cells compared to Wt (a). Enlarged merged images of the marginal zone revealed co-expression of Sox2 and POMC within a portion of POMC+ve cells (white arrowheads in f′). Increase in number of PRL+ve cells was observed in the Prop1:Cre;BrafV600E/+ pituitaries (j) compared to Wt (g). i′ and l′ represent enlarged images of squared areas in i and l, respectively, showing the marginal zone. Cells expressing both Sox2 and PRL were observed in the MZ of the Prop1:Cre;BrafV600E/+ mutant pituitaries (white arrowheads in l′), while no co-expression of Sox2 and PRL was detected in the cells of Wt pituitaries (I′). Images are representative of four embryos per genotype. AL anterior lobe, MZ marginal zone, PL posterior lobe. Scale bars: a, d, g, j 150 µm; c′, f′, i′, and l′ 40 µm.

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