Defects in embryonic bile duct morphogenesis in <i>Jag1^dDSL/+ Notch2^del1/+</i> mice.

<p>Cytokeratin immunostaining of control littermate and <i>Jag1^dDSL/+ Notch2^del1/+</i> liver sections at the indicated ages. A,B. At E16.5, both control (A) and <i>Jag1^dDSL/+ Notch2^del1/+</i> (B) have formed a partly bilayered ductal plate (arrowheads). C–F. Over the next several days, focal dilations (arrowheads) form in the ductal plate of both control and mutant embryos. Other regions of the ductal plate begin to regress. G,H. At P7, the focal dilations have formed epithelial bile ducts incorporated into the portal mesenchyme (arrows) in the control liver (G), while the <i>Jag1^dDSL/+ Notch2^del1/+</i> liver (H) exhibits only ductal plate remnants (arrowheads).