Figure 4

Effects of sex steroids on the gross anatomical phenotype of Xenopus embryos. A) Increase of pigmentation in the skin caused by E2, T and EE2 at indicated concentrations. Pictures of living anesthetized embryos at st 45; the percentages shown in the bottom left corner represent occurrence rates. Data are representative of 48 embryos/condition. B) Melanophore numbers and skin pigmented area associated to E2, T and EE2, compared to controls. Mean ± SD, “a” = control group; statistical significance is represented in a letter code: a indicates no difference with control, all other letters indicate significant difference with the control, shared letters indicate no significant differences between the corresponding data sets. One-way ANOVA, Tukey comparison test, p < 0.05, d.f. = 21. C) E2, T and EE2 induced overgrowth of gill branches (g, dashed lines); E2 and EE2 induced hypertrophy of blood vessels (arrowheads) in gill branches and cardiac anlage. B). Data are representative of 24 embryos/condition.