Figure 4

Expression of lens specific genes during development. In situ hybridisation of three Crystallin genes and Cugbp1b during development of the lens, indicated by dark blue staining. A-D, Cryaa expression at st. 26 (A), 30 (B) and 38 (C and D). E-H, Expression of Cryba1 throughout the lens at st. 26 (E), 30 (F) and 38 (G and H). I-L, expression of Crygb. I) at st. 26, note that red arrowhead indicates a transient stripe of expression in the hindbrain. Crygb is expressed in the central lens at st. 30 (J) and 38 (K and L). M-P) Cugbp1b transcripts are absent from the forming eye at st 26 (M), detected in the central lens cells at st.30 (N), and in the outer lens cells at st. 38 (O and P). Q) Tsr2 is expressed in epithelial cells including the cells overlying the eye, shown at stage 30. R) Prox1 expression is lens specific at stage 30, as previously described [23]. Sox2 is expressed throughout the eye as well as in the olfactory placode lateral line primordia and branchial arches as previously described [24]. White arrows indicate the position of the eye, scale bars in D, H, L, P, Q, R and S are 200 μm and red dots show the approximate margin of the eye. Scale bars in A, E, I and M apply to all other panels and correspond to 1 mm. Embryos are oriented with anterior to the left and dorsal uppermost.