Adult phenotype of Meox2Cre-Thbd-null mice. (A) Smaller body size of Thbd-null mice. (B) Thbd-null mice had significantly lower body weight at all time points measured (n ≥ 16 for each time point), but showed near-normal growth as compared with Thbd-expressing littermates (n ≥ 92 for each time point). (C) Histological immunostaining of different organs at 10 to 16 weeks of age showing persistent absence of Thbd from the endothelium in different vascular beds. (D) Kaplan-Meier survival plot of live-born Meox2Cre-Thbd-null mice (n = 28), as compared with Thbd-expressing littermates of various genotypes. (E) Masson-Trichrome–stained section of affected eye in a Meox2Cre-Thbd-null mouse showing leukocyte infiltration into the anterior eye chamber (left); normal eye histology in a Thbd^loxP/+ (1 loxP-flanked but nondeleted Thbd allele and 1 wild-type Thbd allele) (right); hematoxylin and eosin stain.