Acid-etched SEM analyses of the alveolar bone in the 4-week-old mice.

<p>a1 (normal) and b1 (cKO) were SEM images taken from the alveolar bone in the furcation region (from the blue box areas). Images of a2 (normal) and b2 (cKO) were taken from the alveolar bone in the interdental region (yellow box). The lacunae of <i>Fam20C</i>-deficient osteocytes appeared “collapsed” (b1, b2). The lacuno-canalicular networks in the cKO mice were disorganized with fewer canaliculi that appeared thicker and more randomly distributed compared to the normal mice. Bar in a or b: 500 µm; bar in a1, a2, b1 or b2: 10 µm.