Brpf1 loss compromises neural stem cells and neuronal precursors.

<p>(A-C) Immunofluorescence microscopy to detect Sox2⁺ neural stem cells (NSCs) on peri- or postnatal brain sections. At P0, Sox2⁺ NSCs were enriched in the wild-type dentate gyrus (DG) and this population was smaller in the mutant, as quantified in (D). At P10 and P14, Sox2⁺ NSCs settled in the control subgranular zone (SGZ), while in the mutant, the granule cell layers were hypoplastic and the SGZ harbored few Sox2⁺ NSCs. (D) Quantification of Sox2⁺ cells in the control and mutant dentate gyri at P0. There were significantly fewer Sox2⁺ NSCs within the mutant dentate gyrus per section (right). The number of Sox2⁺ cells per mm² within the dentate gyrus also significantly decreased (left). The quantification was based on three pairs of neonates and at least three matched sections per brain. **<i>p</i><0.01; ***<i>p</i><0.001. (E) In the hippocampus, Ctip2 expression was restricted to the CA regions and the suprapyramidal blade of the developing dentate gyrus (DG-s) at P0. (F) Quantification of Ctip2⁺ cells in the wild-type and mutant suprapyramidal blades, outlined in (E), was based on three pairs of neonates and at least three matched sections per brain. ***<i>p</i><0.001. (G-I) Dcx expression in control and bKO brain sections at three developmental stages. In the mutant dentate gyrus, there were fewer Dcx⁺ neuronal precursors apparently at P10 (H) and P24 (I). Scale bars: (A-C), 100 μm; (E), 400 μm, (G-I), 100 μm.