MAP1LC3A and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: To evaluate the autophagy activity in ALS skeletal muscle during the disease progression, we transfected LC3‐RFP plasmid into the FDB muscle of G93A mice at different disease stages: the earlier stage [6 weeks, asymptomatic stage without axonal withdrawal reported (Frey et al. 2000)], 2–3 months [still asymptomatic stage but axons have begun to pull away from muscle fibers], and 3–4 months [disease onset and ALS‐like phenotype becomes well established (Gurney et al. 1994)].