Figure 6

SDF-1 signaling controls SMG branching morphogenesis. (A) Representative whole-mount immunostaining of E-cadherin in explants cultured for three days with the control medium, SDF-1, AMD3100 or CCX733. Control and SDF-1-treated cultures show that the epithelium has invaded the whole culture and forms a complex arborescence. In contrast, treatment of the SMG explants with 20 μM AMD3100 inhibits epithelial branching morphogenesis, as seen by the failure to colonize the explant mesenchyme and the reduced number of buds. Similarly, CCX733 reduces the branching as well as the invasion of the mesenchyme. (B) The numbers of terminal buds in each cultured SMG explants were counted at day 0, 1, 2 and 3, and the budding index was calculated by dividing the number of buds at day 1, 2 and 3 by the number of buds at day 0. t-test: *, P < 0.001. Scale bar, 500 μm.