Histological analyses of <i>Zfp449</i> knockout mice.

<p>(A) Safranin-O staining and immunofluorescence of Sox9, Sox6, Col2a1 and Zfp449 in proximal tibia of <i>Zfp449</i> null (−/−) and WT littermate embryos (+/+) (E18.5). Enlarged immunofluorescence figures on the left are from the areas indicated in the yellow inset box on Safranin-O staining. The further magnified views on the right are from the areas indicated in the blue inset boxes. Scale bars, 100 µm (Safranin-O stainings and immunofluorescence images), 10 µm (maginified views of immunofluorescence). (B) mRNA levels of <i>Sox9</i>, <i>Sox6</i>, <i>Col2a1</i> and <i>Zfp449</i> in primary chondrocytes from <i>Zfp449</i> null and WT littermate mice (6 d). Data are expressed as means (bars) ± SDs (error bars) for three wells/group. ^#<i>P</i><0.01 versus WT. (C) Safranin-O staining of knee joints in <i>Zfp449</i> null mice and WT littermates 8 weeks after the surgical induction of OA. Scale bars, 100 µm. (D) Safranin-O staining of knee joints in 17-month-old <i>Zfp449</i> null mice and WT littermates. Scale bars, 100 µm. (E) Immunofluorescence of GFP and Zfp449 in elbow joints of <i>Zfp449</i> heterozygous mutant. Scale bars, 200 µm.