R inactivation of the Krt7 gene using gene targeting had been successful. Based on our earlier study of K7 expression in the mouse [2], we undertook a comprehensive histological analysis 10781694 of tissues from 6? week old homozygous K7 knockout mice (Table S1). We could detect no gross histological differences between the tissues and organs of homozygous K7 knockout mice as compared to wildtype littermates (Figure 3 and results not shown). Furthermore, the genetic background did not appear to influence these results since we could detect no histological differences between the tissues of homozygous K7 knockout mice that were from the original 129P2/C57Bl6 mixed genetic background and those that were maintained on a C57Bl6 background (results not shown). We also considered the possibility that a phenotype could be lateonset, as has been shown for K18 knockout mice [11], therefore we performed the same histological analysis in a small number (n = 3) of homozygous K7 knockout mice from the original 129P2/Gel Electrophoresis and Western BlottingTissues were either processed immediately or snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage at 280uC. Cytoskeletal-enriched extracts were 194423-15-9 prepared from tissues by homogenisation in highsalt extraction buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl pH7.4, 0.6 M KCl, 1 v/v Triton X-100 and Dimethylenastron chemical information protease inhibitor cocktail (VWR 16985061 International)) followed by extraction in 9 M urea/1 v/v bmercaptoethanol/10 mM Tris-HCl (pH8). Protein samples were run on 4?2 w/v gradient Bis-Tris Novex gels (Invitrogen). For western blotting, gels were transferred to nitrocellulose paper and blocked in 5 (w/v) non-fat milk powder in TBS buffer containing 0.2 (v/v) Tween-20 (VWR International). Primary and secondary antibodies were diluted in 1 (w/v) BSA in TBS buffer containing 0.06 (v/v) Tween-20. Primary antibodies were detected using goat anti-rabbit, goat anti-mouse or rabbit anti-rat immunoglobulins conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (DAKO). The antigen-antibody complex was then visualised chemilluminescently using luminol (Fluka) as substrate.AntibodiesFor the detection of K7, an affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against a C-terminal peptide of mouse K7 was used [2]. Mouse K8 was detected using rat monoclonal antibody Troma I (Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, Univ. Iowa). Mouse K18 was detected using an anti-K18 monoclonal antibody (clone Ks18.04; Progen, Germany). Mouse K19 was detected by immunofluorescence staining using rat monoclonal antibody Troma III (Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, Univ. Iowa) and by mouse monoclonal antibody LP2K for western blotting. Mouse K20 was detected either with an anti-cytokeratin-20 monoclonal antibody (SPM140; abcamH) or for immunoblotting, mouse monoclonal antibody XQ1 [15]. For western blotting of cytoskeletal extracts, a mouse monoclonal antibody to b-actin (clone AC-15; Sigma) was used as a control to monitor protein loading. Ki-67 was detected using a mouse monoclonal antibody (clone MM1; Leica Biosystems). Uroplakin 3a was detected using a rabbit polyclonal antibody (H-180; Santa Cruz Biotechnology).Statistical AnalysisTwo-tailed Students t-test was used was for pairwise comparisons of data sets and a p value of ,0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.K7 Knockout MiceK7 Knockout MiceFigure 2. Loss of K7 expression in K7 knockout mouse tissues. Immunofluorescence microscopy of frozen sections of bladder (A,B), colon (C,D), uterus (E, F) and liver (G, H) of wildtype (A.R inactivation of the Krt7 gene using gene targeting had been successful. Based on our earlier study of K7 expression in the mouse [2], we undertook a comprehensive histological analysis 10781694 of tissues from 6? week old homozygous K7 knockout mice (Table S1). We could detect no gross histological differences between the tissues and organs of homozygous K7 knockout mice as compared to wildtype littermates (Figure 3 and results not shown). Furthermore, the genetic background did not appear to influence these results since we could detect no histological differences between the tissues of homozygous K7 knockout mice that were from the original 129P2/C57Bl6 mixed genetic background and those that were maintained on a C57Bl6 background (results not shown). We also considered the possibility that a phenotype could be lateonset, as has been shown for K18 knockout mice [11], therefore we performed the same histological analysis in a small number (n = 3) of homozygous K7 knockout mice from the original 129P2/Gel Electrophoresis and Western BlottingTissues were either processed immediately or snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage at 280uC. Cytoskeletal-enriched extracts were prepared from tissues by homogenisation in highsalt extraction buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl pH7.4, 0.6 M KCl, 1 v/v Triton X-100 and protease inhibitor cocktail (VWR 16985061 International)) followed by extraction in 9 M urea/1 v/v bmercaptoethanol/10 mM Tris-HCl (pH8). Protein samples were run on 4?2 w/v gradient Bis-Tris Novex gels (Invitrogen). For western blotting, gels were transferred to nitrocellulose paper and blocked in 5 (w/v) non-fat milk powder in TBS buffer containing 0.2 (v/v) Tween-20 (VWR International). Primary and secondary antibodies were diluted in 1 (w/v) BSA in TBS buffer containing 0.06 (v/v) Tween-20. Primary antibodies were detected using goat anti-rabbit, goat anti-mouse or rabbit anti-rat immunoglobulins conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (DAKO). The antigen-antibody complex was then visualised chemilluminescently using luminol (Fluka) as substrate.AntibodiesFor the detection of K7, an affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against a C-terminal peptide of mouse K7 was used [2]. Mouse K8 was detected using rat monoclonal antibody Troma I (Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, Univ. Iowa). Mouse K18 was detected using an anti-K18 monoclonal antibody (clone Ks18.04; Progen, Germany). Mouse K19 was detected by immunofluorescence staining using rat monoclonal antibody Troma III (Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, Univ. Iowa) and by mouse monoclonal antibody LP2K for western blotting. Mouse K20 was detected either with an anti-cytokeratin-20 monoclonal antibody (SPM140; abcamH) or for immunoblotting, mouse monoclonal antibody XQ1 [15]. For western blotting of cytoskeletal extracts, a mouse monoclonal antibody to b-actin (clone AC-15; Sigma) was used as a control to monitor protein loading. Ki-67 was detected using a mouse monoclonal antibody (clone MM1; Leica Biosystems). Uroplakin 3a was detected using a rabbit polyclonal antibody (H-180; Santa Cruz Biotechnology).Statistical AnalysisTwo-tailed Students t-test was used was for pairwise comparisons of data sets and a p value of ,0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.K7 Knockout MiceK7 Knockout MiceFigure 2. Loss of K7 expression in K7 knockout mouse tissues. Immunofluorescence microscopy of frozen sections of bladder (A,B), colon (C,D), uterus (E, F) and liver (G, H) of wildtype (A.