Fig. 2: TH, not POMC or NPY, is selectively reduced in ARC of adult Satb2 CKO mice.

a, a’ Immunostaining shows the presence of Satb2 in the ARC and VMH of control but not Satb2 CKO mice at P60. b, b’ Nissl-stained cellular architecture is not changed in the ARC of Satb2 CKO mice relative to controls. c, c’ POMC⁺ neurons in the ARC are comparable between control and Satb2 CKO mice. d–d” The number of NPY⁺ neurons is comparable between control and Satb2 CKO mice, but the intensity of expression is higher in Satb2 CKO mice than that in control when compared at the same duration of signal development (d, d”). e, e’ TH is expressed in both DM (triangle) and VL (arrow) of control mice, whereas its expression is dramatically reduced in the ARC particularly in the DM (triangle) of Satb2 CKO mice. f–g’ The expression of DA neuron-associated genes in adult control and Satb2 CKO mice. VMAT2 and AADC are expressed in both DM (triangle) and VL (arrow) of control mice (f, g), whereas their expressions are dramatically reduced in the ARC particularly in the DM of Satb2 CKO mice (f’, g’). h, h’ DAT is primarily expressed in the DM (triangle) of control mice (h), and its expression is hardly detected in Satb2 CKO mice (h’). i, j The quantification of POMC⁺ (i) and NPY⁺ (j) cells in the ARC shows no significant difference in cell number between the two groups. n = 3 for each group. k The quantification of intensity of NPY expression shows it is higher in Satb2 CKO mice than that in control mice. n = 3 for each group. l The quantification of TH⁺ cells in the DM and VL of P60 control and Satb2 CKO mice. n = 4 for each group. Statistical differences were determined by Student’s t-test, *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001. Error bars represent S.E.M. 3V, third ventricle; ARC, arcuate nucleus; VMH, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Scale bars = 100 μm in a, a’, 100 μm in b, b’, 100 μm in c–e’, 100 μm in f–h’.