Fig. 3. Detection of Dsc3 in pre-implantation embryos. (A) Immunofluorescence staining of blastocysts with antibodies against Dsc3, desmoplakin (Dp) and ß-catenin (ß-Cat). The two blastocysts shown were co-stained either with Dsc3 (red) + DP (green) or with Dsc3 (red) + ß-cat (green) antibodies. Co-localization of the antigens is indicated by yellow fluorescence. The boxed areas are shown at higher magnification on the right. Dsc3 is distributed in a linear fashion along the plasma membrane of TE cells, i.e. does not show the typical punctuated desmosomal staining pattern. Bars, 20 µm. (B) Immunohistochemistry on wild-type pre-implantation stage embryos and ovary sections using our Dsc3 antibody. All embryos showed a homogenous cytoplasmic staining. The Dsc3 antibody stains the cytoplasm of oocytes in ovary sections. The box marks an area that is shown at higher magnification on the right. Control sections incubated with normal guinea pig antibodies (nIgG) showed only background staining. Arrows indicate polar bodies in the two-cell stage embryos. N, nucleus; Cy, cytoplasm.