Impact of <i>Ret</i>, <i>Gfra1</i> or <i>Gfra2</i> ablation in embryonic thymocyte development.

<p>E18.5 thymocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. <b>A.</b> DN thymocytes were gated on CD45⁺Lin⁻CD3⁻CD4⁻CD8⁻ cells. Results show percentage of DN1–DN4 in <i>Ret</i>, <i>Gfra1</i>and <i>Gfra2</i> deficient mice. Null mice: open symbols; WT littermate controls: full symbols; Mean value: dash line. <b>B.</b> Percentage of DN and DP thymocytes gated on CD45⁺Lin⁻γδTCR⁻ analyzed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052949#pone-0052949-g002" target="_blank">Figure 2A</a>. <b>C.</b> Percentage of γδ TCR expressing thymocytes analyzed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052949#pone-0052949-g002" target="_blank">Figure 2A</a>. <b>D.</b> Absolute number of total thymocytes in <i>Ret</i>, <i>Gfra1</i>and <i>Gfra2</i> deficient mice analyzed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052949#pone-0052949-g002" target="_blank">Figure 2A</a>. Two-tailed student <i>t</i>-test analysis was performed between knockouts and respective WT littermate controls. No statistically significant differences were found.