Quantitative evaluation of the morphological defects observed in the follicular epithelium of PG45>M6-RNAiNIG egg chambers (strong RNAi).

M6 downregulation was induced as in Figs. 5 and 6. Female genotypes tested were w; UAS-M6-RNAiNIG; tub-GAL80ts (termed ¨control ¨), and PG45; UAS-M6-RNAiNIG; tub-GAL80ts either kept at 18°C ( ¨Non-induced ¨ control) or at 29°C ( ¨Induced ¨) for 24 h (a,b) or 48 h (c). Ovaries were dissected and stained to visualized morphological defects. Values correspond to the percentage of egg chambers showing the specific alteration (described in a, b or c). The number of egg chambers examined is indicated between brackets. (a) Changes in the shape of the FC, i.e. columnar as opposed to cuboidal (yellow asterisk in Fig. 6Ab′), were considered. This phenotype was analyzed in egg chambers from late st9 to 10. (b) Loss of FE organization, including a variety of polygonal shapes instead of the uniformly hexagonal array characteristic of FC (Fig. 6Bb-b′). Egg chambers from st11 to 12 were analyzed. (c) Presence of gaps within the FE (white arrowheads in Fig. 6A,B). Egg chambers from early oogenesis (st7) were analyzed. FC, follicle cells; FE, follicular epithelium.