Fig. 5
From: Matriptase zymogen supports epithelial development, homeostasis and regeneration
Zymogen-locked endogenous matriptase supports interfollicular epidermal development and epidermal barrier acquisition. a Outward appearance of newborn St14 zym/zym (left) and St14 +/+ (right) pups. b Body weights of newborn St14 +/+ (left bar, n = 3), St14 zym/+ (middle bar, n = 13), and St14 zym/+ (right bar, n = 7) pups. Data are shown as mean ± SD. P = non-significant. One-way ANOVA, two-tailed. c Normal postnatal survival of mice expressing zymogen-locked endogenous matriptase. Genotype distribution of offspring from interbred St14 zym/+ mice. Genotypes were obtained at weaning from 93 offspring from 14 litters. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (d–f) and matriptase immunohistochemistry (g–i) of skin from newborn St14 zym/zym pups (d and g) and wildtype littermates (e and h). Skin from newborn St14 –/– mice was included as comparison for stratum corneum morphology (f) and as control for antibody specificity (i). Scale bar in d = 50 μm, representative for d–i. Scale bar in inset in g = 20 μm, representative for inset in g–i. Quantification of stratum corneum thickness of newborn epidermis of St14 +/+ pups (left bar, n = 4) and St14 zym/zym littermates (right bar, n = 4) (j), and of newborn epidermis of St14 +/+ pups (left bar, n = 2) and St14 –/– littermates (right bar, n = 4) (k). Data are shown as mean ± SD. Quantification of epidermal thickness of newborn epidermis of St14 +/+ pups (left bar, n = 4) and St14 zym/zym littermates (right bar, n = 4) (l), and of newborn epidermis of St14+/+ pups (left bar, n = 2) and St14 –/– littermates (right bar, n = 4) (m). Data are shown as mean ± SD. P values were determined by Student’s t test, two-tailed. n Zymogen-locked matriptase supports epidermal barrier formation. Rate of epidermal fluid loss from newborn mice was estimated by measuring reduction of body weight as a function of time. The data are expressed as the average percentage of initial body weight for St14 +/+ pups (squares; n = 5), St14 zym/+ pups (circles; n = 17), and St14 zym/zym (triangles; n = 7) littermates (mean ± SD). Error bars indicate SD, P < 0.0001 (linear regression analysis, two-tailed). Additional file 1: Raw supporting data