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Fig. 5 | EvoDevo

Fig. 5

From: The role of HoxA11 and HoxA13 in the evolution of novel fin morphologies in a representative batoid (Leucoraja erinacea)

Fig. 5

HoxA11 is associated with the developing fin rays in the pectoral and pelvic fins (a–d). HoxA11 expression begins medially in paired fins as a vertical band (a) composed of horizontal stripes (b) at developmental stage 27. As the fins grow and extends laterally, HoxA11 expression localizes distally with the fin expansion. Initially, expression is condensed with some stripes of expression merged (a), yet by stage 30, expression is associated with individual fin rays (c). While it appears that fin ray expression is in two waves, it is actually expressed in two planes, with the more distal expression on the dorsal side of the fin, and the inner expression is on the ventral side of the fin (d). Boxes indicate magnified regions. Sectioning the pectoral fin at stage 29 reveals that HoxA11 expression is not localized in the fin rays per se, rather expression occurs in dorsal and ventral domains marking segments associated with fin ray condensations (e, f). A lateral section of the pectoral fin in a cleared and stained specimen indicates that the cartilaginous condensation of the fin ray occurs in the mid-mesenchymal tissue of the developing fin (g, h). Black arrows indicate HoxA11 expression in the developing fin rays (b, d, F), and cartilaginous condensation (h). Black lines indicate where the sections were taken (e, g). D = dorsal, V = ventral (f)

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