Heterogeneous Expression of Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans and Versican Proteoglycan during Early Development of Rathke’s Pouch

Figure 4

Sagittal sections showing CS-GAG and versican localization in Rathke’s pouch at HH25. (a) TC2 CS-GAG stains ECM most strongly along the roof (small arrow) of Rathke’s pouch (asterisk, lumen of Rathke’s pouch) Note staining present around tip at this stage (large arrow) and along distal aspects of the pouch floor where it then abruptly ceases (arrowhead). (b) Phase contrast image of (a). Note constriction of proximal pouch lumen. di: diencephalon. (c) Versican (vs) codistributes with TC2 along pouch roof (small arrow), but little staining is seen around pouch tip (large arrow). Versican expression resumes along pouch floor (arrowhead) along its proximal aspect. (d) Overlay of TC2 and versican double labeled specimen. Note colocalization along pouch roof (small arrow), but areas of dissimilarity along pouch floor (arrowhead). (e) d1C4 CS-GAG stains in a discontinuous pattern in Rathke’s pouch roof and floor. Note absence around pouch tip (large arrow) and staining underneath pouch floor in its proximal half (arrowhead). (f) Perlecan (pl) shows continuous basement membrane around Rathke’s pouch including pouch tip (large arrow). Note less intense reactivity along pouch floor (arrowhead) than associated with roof. Scale bar in (b) =100 μm (a–f).

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