N-cadherin expression is efficiently ablated in osteoblast lineage cells in Osx-Cre Cdh2^flox/flox mice. (A) Representative photomicrographs of bone sections from mT/mG Osx-Cre mice stained for N-cadherin (red), GFP (green), and DAPI (blue). (B) Primary bone marrow stromal cells were differentiated toward the osteoblast lineage, and Western blots were performed for N-cadherin, tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), and β-actin. (C-D) RNA was isolated from total bone marrow (C) or the endosteal bone marrow fraction (D), and N-cadherin mRNA expression relative to β-actin expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR. Data are the mean ± SEM of 5 mice. *P = .002. †P = .007. (E) Representative photomicrographs of bone sections stained for N-cadherin (red) and DAPI (blue). Images are representative of 3 independent experiments (original magnification ×20).