Fig. 2

SRSF1 plays critical roles in follicle development and female fertility. a Stra8-GFPCre mice were crossed with Srsf1^Fl/Fl mice to generate Srsf1 cKO mice. Cre-mediated deletion removed exons 2, 3, and 4 of Srsf1 and generated a null protein allele. b Schematic diagram of Cre enzyme expression showing the spatiotemporal patterns of major cellular events in mouse early phase ovaries. c Genotyping PCRs were performed using Stra8-GFPCre and Srsf1 primers. d–g Co-immunostaining of SRSF1 and VASA in adult Ctrl and cKO ovaries. PmF, primordial follicle; PF, primary follicle. Scale bar, 25 μm. h, i Normal body weight in cKO mice. The body sizes and weights of adult Ctrl and cKO mice are shown as the mean ± SEM. n = 5. j, k Ovarian atrophy in adult cKO mice. Ovary sizes and weights of adult Ctrl and cKO mice are shown as the mean ± SEM. n = 5. i Fertility test results showing an infertility phenotype in the cKO females (n = 8) compared to that in the Ctrl mice (n = 6) during 180 days of mating. m–p Haematoxylin stained ovary sections from adult Ctrl and cKO mice are shown. m, n Scale bar, 500 μm. o, p Magnified views are shown. Scale bar, 50 μm. q–t Immunostaining of VASA in adult Ctrl and cKO ovaries. DNA was stained with DAPI. Red arrows indicate abnormal follicles of oocytes deviating to one side. Red arrowheads indicate oocyte-free follicles. Scale bar, 50 μm. u, v Folliculogenesis was arrested in the cKO ovaries. u Immunostaining of VASA in adult Ctrl and cKO ovaries. DNA was stained with haematoxylin. PmF, primordial follicle; Scale bar, 20 μm. PF, primary follicle; SF, secondary follicle; AF, antral follicle; CL, corpus luteum; Scale bar, 100 μm. v Counting of the significant mouse stages of folliculogenesis. n = 4. Significance was determined by unpaired Student’s t test; detailed P value P ≥ 0.05, *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. The error bar represents the mean ± SEM