Figure 2
Development of the murine embryonic intestine in vitro. A-C) Phase contrast images of small intestine after 1 (A), 7 (B) and 11 (C) days of culture. An epithelial tube persists in the centre, with the surrounding mesenchyme spreading out to form a monolayer. D-E) Cdx2 expression in 1 day cultures, wholemount (D) and confocal section through epithelium (E). F-H) Epithelium and mesenchyme form concentric layers. The columnar epithelium is visualised by immunostaining for cytokeratin 8 (F) and the mesenchyme by staining for smooth muscle actin (G). Scale bars = 100 μm A-D, F-H; 20 μm E.