Figure 1

Early forming IFMs are multinucleated and expressed the Z(210) protein. Pupae were aged and after dissection, the tissues were spread and processed for immunofluorescence as described in Methods. Panels A-F: low magnification phase images (A, C and E) and corresponding immunofluorescence microscopy, panel B: myosin heavy chain, panel D: Z(210), and panel F: projectin. Arrows in panel D indicate cells negative for Z(210) staining. Panels G-I: Higher magnification image of a single cell. Panel G: DAPI nuclear staining; panel H: phase contrast; panel I: Z(210) immunostaining. DAPI indicates the presence of several nuclei within one cell. The apparent size difference for the various nuclei can be attributed to their different positions within the vertical focal plan of a single cell. As the same cell is represented in all three panels, the Z(210) staining insures that the cell shown is a multinucleated IFM precursor. Scale bars in B and I = 10 μm