Expression of meis1.1, but not cdx4, is impaired in hoxd4a morphants at the shield stage.

Expression of cdx4 (A,B), hoxd4a (C–E) and meis1.1 (F–H) in control (A,C,F), hoxd4a morphants (B,D,G) and rescuants injected with hoxd4a mRNA (E,H) observed at the shield stage. Asterisks denote the ventral-most mesoderm fated to give rise to hemangioblast in addition to unipotential hematopoietic and angiogenic progenitors. Ratios indicate the fraction of embryos showing the presented phenotype. Scale bars equal 100 µm. (I) qRT-PCR was used to quantitate relative mRNA levels in controls, morphants and rescuants as indicated. Error bars present the standard error. Decreased expression of hoxd4a and meis1.1 in hoxd4a morphants is significantly lower than both controls and rescuants to p≤0.02.