Figure 8

Shh and ptc1 expression in control and denervated fins. a-h) mRNA ISH on whole mount amputated fins. Shh expression is first detected at 1.5 dpa in the blastema of control fins (a), but not in the denervated ones (b). Ptc1 mRNA starts to be expressed in the stump at 1 dpa both in control (e) and denervated fins (f). While in control fins ptc1 is expressed in every ray at 2 dpa, in denervated fins it is expressed only in the rays with a small blastema (h). a-h) Dashed lines mark amputation plane. Scale bar - 100 μm. i) qRT-PCR for shh and ptc1. qRT-PCR reveals lower levels of shh expression on denervated fins in relation to controls, at 0.5 dpa. These levels abruptly increase at 1 dpa, decreasing again at 1.5 and 2 dpa. Ptc1 expression is also higher at 1 dpa and lower at 1.5 and 2 dpa on denervated fins, in relation to controls (**p < 0.001, *p < 0.05).