Figure 2.

Global deletion of the runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) gene leads to bone and cartilage abnormality and perinatal lethality in mice. A: Global deletion of the Runx2 gene. A Runx2^+/flox male mouse was bred to a female Sox2-Cre recombinase transgenic mouse followed by interbreeding of the Runx2^+/Δ mice to generate Runx2 nulls (Runx2^Δ/Δ). Embryos at 18.5 days after coitum were genotyped (A), and then imaged by a dissection scope (B). Skeletons of mice with representative genotypes were determined by Alcian blue and Alizarin red stain (C) and by soft X-ray (D). Ctrl, control; Runx2^+/+, wild-type; Runx2^Δ/Δ, knockout; Runx2^+/Δ, heterozygote; WT, wild type.