Figure 1. RPE-specific deletion of Atg5 or Atg7 and p62/SQSTM1 accumulation in the RPE of Atg5^ΔRPE and Atg7^ΔRPE mice. A: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that Atg5 or Atg7 was not expressed in RPE cells isolated from Atg5^ΔRPE or Atg7^ΔRPE mice but was expressed in the neuroretina isolated from these mice. RT–PCR using Efemp1 primers confirmed the integrity of the RNA from all the samples. B: Frozen sections from 8-month-old wild-type, Atg5^ΔRPE, and Atg7^ΔRPE mice were stained with an antibody (green signal) against p62/SQSTM1. Note the bright green staining in the RPE of the Atg5^ΔRPE and Atg7^ΔRPE mice. The nuclei were stained with 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI; blue signal). C: The p62 staining in the RPE was quantified using Image J software. n = 3 mice per genotype. Error bars indicate the mean ± standard deviation (SD). WT, wild-type; ONL, outer nuclear layer; IS, photoreceptor inner segment; OS, photoreceptor outer segment.