Figure 7

Astrocytes are present in the neonatal Dicer null cortex. (A) Astrocyte expressed mRNA transcripts; Ntsr2, Aldh1a2, Glul, S100β and Gfap and a β-actin control can be identified in whole cortex RNA extracts from two wild-type and two Dicer null pups by RT-PCR. cDNA generation was performed in the presence (+) and absence (-) of reverse transcriptase. (B) Quantitative RT-PCR for GFAP and Glul in the P0 wild-type and Dicer null cortex showed a reduction in βIII-tubulin and Glul mRNA. Conversely, GFAP mRNA levels were increased in the Dicer null cortex compared to wild-type controls. Average fold changes (expressed as base 2) are shown from n = 2 animals of each genotype are shown, compared against two control mRNAs, beta-actin and TBP. (C-F) Immunofluorescence for astrocyte markers in the wild-type and Dicer null neonatal (P0) cortex clearly identifies Glul + (C) and GFAP + astrocytes at the midline (D) and the pial surface (E). S100+ (F) cells are also present throughout the cortical plate. Note the disorganised midline in the Dicer null (C). Scale bars: 50 μm.