ITGAM and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: In rodent models of ALS, neuromuscular junction destruction and distal axonopathy precede motor neuron loss28; the early accumulation of macrophages expressing CD11b and CD68 in axons29 and of other immunologic factors originating from the muscle may play an active role in motor neuron degeneration by inhibition of neurite outgrowth.