Early implantation is unaffected in <i>Rac1</i> conditional knockout mouse.

<p><b>(A)</b> Gross morphology of <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> uteri at days 6 and 8 of gestation. <b>(B)</b><i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> mice were subjected to artificial decidual stimulation for 96 hours as described in the Materials and methods. For each mouse, one uterine horn was stimulated, while the other horn was left undisturbed. Gross morphology of <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> uteri following the application of the decidual stimulus is shown. <b>(C)</b> Comparative wet weight gains in uteri of <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> mice. Following artificial decidualization, stimulated and unstimulated horns were assessed for wet weight gain. The histogram shows the ratios of average weights of stimulated over unstimulated horns from <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> mice. Data represent mean ± SEM from four separate samples and were analyzed by <i>t</i>-test, <i>P > 0</i>.05). <b>(D)</b> Uterine sections from <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> mice on day 8 of pregnancy were subjected to alkaline phosphatase activity (ALPL, upper) and IF staining using an antibody specific for the prolactin-related protein (PRL82A, lower). AMD, MD, and E denote antimesometrial decidua, mesometrial decidua, and embryo respectively. <b>(E)</b> Comparable expressions of various markers of decidualization in <i>Rac</i>1^<i>f/f</i> and <i>Rac</i>1^<i>d/d</i> uteri. Total RNA was isolated from uteri on day 8 of pregnancy and qPCR analysis was performed using primers specific for <i>Pgr</i>, <i>Bmp2</i>, and <i>Gja1</i>. Data represent mean ± SEM from four separate samples and were analyzed by <i>t</i>-test, <i>P > 0</i>.05).