Fig. 3. Cell fusion index. Human cytotrophoblasts were incubated with a scrambled antisense (dark columns) or with a specific Cx43 antisense (white columns). After 24 hours (upper panel), 48 hours (middle panel) and 72 hours (lower panel), the cells were fixed, immunostained with anti-desmoplakin monoclonal antibody and counterstained with DAPI. One hundred syncytia were scored after staining and the nuclei were counted in each syncytium. Data show the distribution of syncytia as a function of the number of nuclei per syncytium. The figure illustrates the mean±s.e.m. of three independent experiments.