Erythroid development defects in Slug-deficient mice.

(A) Histologic examination of spleens of nonpregnant mice versus spleens of 12-day pregnant control mice (Slug+/+), Slug heterozygous mice (Slug+/−), and Slug homozygous mice (Slug−/−). Hematoxylin and eosin staining evidenced during pregnancy an enormous increase in the splenic red pulp of Slug+/+ mice in which the splenic white pulp, marked with white arrowheads, was reduced. The increase in the splenic red pulp was less evident in both Slug+/− and Slug−/− mice. (B) Representative analysis of the c-kit⁺ cells present in the BM and spleen of mice after induction of hemolytic anemia with PHZ. Cells isolated from a wild-type control (Slug+/+), a heterozygous mutant (Slug+/−), a homozygous mutant (Slug−/−), a Steel-Dickie mutant (Sl/Sl^d), and a W mutant (W/W^v) mouse were stained with the CD117-PE monoclonal antibody and analyzed by flow cytometry. The percentage of c-kit⁺ cells is indicated. The percentage of c-kit⁺ cells in spleen and BM before the induction of hemolytic anemia is as follows: 3% in BM and less than 1% in spleen of Slug+/+, Slug+/−, and Slug−/− mice and less than 1% in BM and less than 1% in spleen of W/W^v and Sl/Sl^d mice. Original magnification × 20.