Fig. 1

Haplodeficiency in the CAV1 gene induces NVU breakdown in the mature mouse retina. Representative images of retinal digest preparations 8-month-old retinas (A). Arrows indicate pericytes and arrowhead shows an acellular capillary (AC). The quantification of pericyte coverage B and acellular capillary number C in 8-month-old retinas are demonstrated respectively. n = 7–8. Scale bar 50 µm. Representative whole-mount immunofluorescence images D show the pericyte coverage from Cav-1^+/+ and Cav-1^+/− retinas in superficial E and deep F capillary layers. Red: NG2, pericyte marker; green: Lectin, vascular marker. n = 3. Scale bar 50 µm. Representative images of immunofluorescence staining of α-SMA in 8-month-old Cav-1^+/+ and Cav-1^+/− retinas (G). Quantification of the number of smooth muscle cells on retinal arteriole (H). n = 3. Scale bar 50 µm. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001