Additional file 1: Figure S1. of GDE2 is essential for neuronal survival in the postnatal mammalian spinal cord

Sensory neurons exhibit neurodegenerative pathology without impaired nerve conduction in the absence of Gde2. This figure illustrates the presence of neuropathology in the primary sensory neurons of the Gde2 KO, including vacuolization, lipid accrual, and cytoskeletal accumulation; and the maintenance of peripheral sensory nerve conduction. Figure S2-related to Fig. 9. Conditional ablation of Gde2 in the postnatal spinal cord prevents the developmental loss of motor neurons. This figure confirms the effective conditional ablation of Gde2 following neurogenesis. In the constitutive KO, GDE2’s absence during embryonic neurogenesis causes a reduction of alpha motor neurons in the lateral motor column; however, in the Gde2lox/-; ROSA:CreER animals, this loss is avoided by injecting 4-OHT at E17.5. Further, competitive PCR analysis shows a near complete deletion of the conditional Gde2 allele following 4-OHT delivery. Figure S3. Gde2 deletion does not perturb neuromuscular junction morphology. This figure uses wholemount immunohistochemistry to assess the integrity of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in aged Gde2 KO hindlimb muscle. At 19 months, no discernible pathology is present in the Gde2 KO NMJ. (DOCX 6586 kb