Quantitative real-time PCR analyses of osteoblast differentiation markers.

<p>Real-time PCR was performed with total RNA isolated from the long bones of the one-week-old control and <i>Twist1^flox/+</i>; <i>Twist2^Cre/+</i> mice. The expressions of key transcription factors associated with osteoblast differentiation (Runx2 and osterix), osteoblast markers (<i>Alp</i>, <i>Ocn</i> and <i>Bsp</i>) and osteocyte marker (<i>Dmp1</i>) were reduced in <i>Twist1^flox/+</i>; <i>Twist2^Cre/+</i> mice. The mRNA levels in the control mice were set as one, and the mRNA levels of <i>Twist1^flox/+</i>; <i>Twist2^Cre/+</i> mice were expressed as folds of those in the control mice. The data represented three analyses (<i>n</i> = 3) for each group.