FIG. 2.
Transgenic hepatocytes display an increase in HNF-3β protein expression. To determine HNF-3β protein expression, paraffin sections of wild-type (WT; A, D, G, and J) or transgenic (T-60 [B, E, H, and K] and T-77 [C, F, I, and L]) mouse liver were prepared from E17.5 embryos (A to C) or P8 (D to F), P17 (G to I), or P30 (J to L) mice and used for immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal HNF-3β antibody (The University of Iowa Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank). Hepatocyte expression of HNF-3β protein is more abundant in E17.5 (B and C) and P8 (E and F) transgenic liver than in wild-type liver (A and D). Continued abundant expression of HNF-3β protein in PI7 (I) and P30 (L) hepatocytes of the T-77 transgenic mice compared to wild-type liver (G and J) was seen. In T-60 transgenic mice, the number of hepatocytes displaying abundant expression of HNF-3β protein (indicated by arrows) diminishes by P17 (H) and is greatly reduced in P30 (K) liver.