Fig. 2: Lhx6 in the hypothalamus is necessary for neuronal survival.

A Lhx6^CreER knock-in site (JAX #010776) and location of the Lhx6 probe used to detect read-through transcription. B–M Coronal planes showing Lhx6 mRNA expression in the zona incerta (ZI, B, C, H, I), amygdala (AMY, F, G, L, M), and cortex (CTX, D, E, J, K) in control (Lhx6^CreER/+, B–G) and mutant (Lhx6^CreER/CreER, H–M) at P8. Note Lhx6 mRNA is not detected in the Lhx6-deficient hypothalamus but is detected in the telencephalon. N Schematic diagram showing the overall design of the experiment from three genotypes (1. Lhx6^CreER/+;Ai9, 2. Lhx6^CreER/lox;Ai9, 3. Lhx6^CreER/lox;;Bax^lox/lox;Ai9). O Schematic diagram showing the overall outcome of the experiment. P A bar graph showing the percentage of tdTomato⁺/(tdTomato⁺ and tdTomato⁺/Lhx6⁺) across three genotypes in five different brain regions. *Indicates p < 0.05. DMH dorsomedial hypothalamus, PH posterior hypothalamus. Q–Y Representative images of three genotypes (1. Lhx6^CreER/+;Ai9 (Q–S), 2. Lhx6^CreER/lox;Ai9 (T–V), 3. Lhx6^CreER/lox;Bax^lox/lox;Ai9 (W–Y) in ZI. More images of different brain regions are available in Supplementary Fig. 1. Z Potential candidate genes from bulk RNA-Seq (Supplementary Fig. 2) controlling cell survival can be regulated by Lhx6 in hypothalamic Lhx6⁺ neurons: Neuregulin-ErbB4 signaling and Gdnf signaling pathways (Supplementary Figs. S3, S4). Scale bar = 0.6 mm (B–M), 100 μm (Q–Y). All bar graphs (P) show mean and standard error of the mean (SEM), with individual data points plotted.