Fig. 1. Abnormal postnatal development of NMJ in Gab1-MSKO mice. (A) Schematic diagram showing the tripartite neuromuscular synapse. tSC; terminal Schwann cell, AChR; acetylcholine receptor. (B) Western blot analysis shows the expression of Gab1 and Gab2 in the brain and skeletal muscles. (C) The endplate morphology of adult Gab1f/f and Gab1-MSKO mice (8~10 weeks old). Z-stack images of NMJ stained with α-bungarotoxin (α-BT) (green) show an AChR cluster that normally consists of 2~4 AChR islands (arrowheads). Arrows indicates fragmented AChR islands in Gab1-MSKO mice. NF; neurofilament stain. Scale bar=20 µm. (D, E) Quantitative results showing the number of AChR islands in a NMJ (D) and mean area of a NMJ (E, AChR area) in Gab1f/f and Gab1-MSKO mice at adulthood. (F) The endplate morphology of adult Gab2 HT and Gab2 KO mice at adulthood. Scale bar=20 µm. (G, H) Quantitative results showing the numbers of AChR islands (H) and areas (I) of NMJs in Gab2 HT and KO mice. Data are mean±SEM. *p<0.05, **p<0.01. NS, non-significant.
© Exp Neurobiol
