Fig. 3

MAPK7 deficiency reduced survival and proliferation of chondrocytes in the central proliferative layer. a HE- and (b) TUNEL-stained sections of the distal femoral growth plate at P7. Boxed areas in the center of the growth plate are magnified in the images at the bottom. c HE- and (d) TUNEL-stained sections of the distal femoral growth plates of P1 mice. Boxed areas in the center of the proliferative layer are magnified in the images at the bottom. Scale bar, 200 μm. e mRNA levels of Pcna, Ki67, Cyclin B1, and Cyclin D1 in tibial and femoral growth plates isolated from CON and Mapk7 CKO mice at P1 were assayed by real-time quantitative PCR (n = 3). *P < 0.05 (Student’s t test). Data are presented as mean ± SD. f Protein levels of MAPK7 and PCNA in tibial and femoral growth plates isolated from CON and Mapk7 CKO mice at P1 were assayed by western blot. g EdU labeling of chondrocytes in tibiae from P1 mice. Boxed areas in the top images, which represent the counted regions in the quantification of EdU-positive cells, are magnified in the images at the bottom. Scale bar, 200 μm. h EdU-positive cells were counted in the center and the periphery of the proliferation layer (n = 3) *P < 0.05 (Student’s t test). N.S., not significant. Data are presented as mean ± SD