Craniofacial Developmental Atlas of Protein Expression of the House Finch

Expression of β-catenin, BMP4, CaM, DKK3, FGF8, IHH, TGFβ2 and WNT4 across the house finch beak at stage HH32.

β-catenin

β-catenin expression at HH32

β-catenin (brown stain) is weakly present in the cytoplasm and nucleus across both the upper and lower jaw with (1 , 2) high expression across the outer edge of the upper jaw and (1) medium expression in potential muscle condensation. (3) Low cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in a large condensation of the maxillary prominence with medium expression at the borderline perichondrogenic area in the upper jaw. Medium expression across the outer edge of the lower jaw. (4) Low cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in the basihyal cartilage of the mandibular prominence with medium expression in the perichondrogenic area. High cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in (4, 5) myogenic areas and (6) in the mesenchyme at the tip of the lower jaw. Scale bars are 50µm. See β-catenin expression across all stages here.

BMP4

BMP4 expression at HH32

BMP4 (red stain) shows weak localized cytoplasmic expression that is predominantly present in the epithelium. Hematopoietic cells show (1) high and (2) medium cytoplasmic expression. (3) Low cytoplasmic expression in the developing myogenic area next to the cartilage. Lower jaw (4) muscle tissue and (5) inner epithelium shows medium cytoplasmic expression. (6) Weak cytoplasmic expression showed in the early formed condensation that will give rise to Meckel's cartilage. Scale bars are 50µm. See BMP4 expression across all stages here.

CaM

CaM expression at HH32

CaM (brown stain) overall (1) weak cytoplasmic and nuclear expression with some areas of (2) low nuclear expression in the upper jaw and (3, 5) no expression. (4) High nuclear expression in blood cells. Scale bars are 50µm. See CaM expression across all stages here.

DKK3

DKK3 expression at HH32

DKK3 (red stain) shows widely distributed low cytoplasmic expression with areas of medium cytoplasmic expression in both upper and lower jaw. In the upper jaw, medium cytoplasmic expression (1) in potential muscle next to developing cartilage (2) next to the retina and (3) in a large condensation of the maxillary prominence. In the lower jaw, (4) contrast between high and low cytoplasmic expression in mesenchyme and epithelium and (6) medium cytoplasmic expression in potential myogenic areas. (5) Scattered areas with no expression. Scale bars are 50µm. See DKK3 expression across all stages here.

FGF8

FGF8 expression at HH32

FGF8 (brown stain) mainly shows weak nuclear expression in the mesenchyme while both cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in the epithelium. Medium cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in (1) mesenchyme next to the retina, (2) terminus of the large condensation at the maxillary prominence and (3) developing muscle next to cartilage area. (2) Medium nuclear expression at the tip of the upper jaw. (4) Medium nuclear expression surrounding cell condensation with additional cytoplasmic expression. (5) Basihyal cartilage with low nuclear expression, perichondrogenic area with low cytoplasmic and nuclear expression. Developing muscle above with medium cytoplasmic and nuclear expression. (6) Cell condensation preceding Meckel's cartilage with low cytoplasmic and nuclear expression. Scale bars are 50µm. See FGF8 expression across all stages here.

IHH

IHH expression at HH32

IHH (red stain) shows scarce epithelium expression with (1) some areas of low cytoplasmic expression. (2, 3) Cartilage contains weak cytoplasmic expression, but perichondrogenic area shows stronger expression. (3, 4) Very strong expression in muscle tissue. (5) Medium cytoplasmic expression in cell condensation that will form Meckel's cartilage. Scale bars are 50µm. See IHH expression across all stages here.

TGFβ2

TGFβ2 expression at HH32

TGFβ2 (brown stain) is widely and weakly expressed in the cytoplasm and perinuclearly. Only cytoplasmic expression is maintained in the outer edge of the (1) upper and (4) lower jaw. (2) High cytoplasmic and perinuclear expression surrounding the large condensation at the maxillary prominence. (3) Basihyal cartilage shows low cytoplasmic and nuclear expression while surrounding muscle and perinuclear area show medium expression. (5) Medium cytoplasmic and nuclear expression in cell condensation that will develop into Meckel's cartilage. (6) No expression at the tip of the lower jaw. Scale bars are 50µm. See TGFβ2 expression across all stages here.

WNT4

WNT4 expression at HH32

WNT4 (red stain) is locally expressed mainly in the lower jaw. (1, 2) Blood cells show medium cytoplasmic expression. (3, 4) Muscle tissue and (5) potential myogenic area shows low cytoplasmic expression. Scale bars are 50µm. See WNT4 expression across all stages here.