Osterix is dispensable for the development of the mouse olfactory bulb

Osterix (Osx) has been shown to be an osteoblast-specific transcription factor for bone formation. Recently, it has been reported that Osx is significantly expressed in the mouse olfactory bulb, proving that Osx may play a role in olfactory bulb development, as well as bone development. Here, we studied morphological differences and neuronal cell alterations in the olfactory bulb using an Osx gene-modified mouse model. Although Osx expression was reduced, morphological differences were not observed in the olfactory bulb of Osx heterozygous mice compared with that of wild-type mice. Immunofluorescence using the neuronal marker genes DCX, MAP2, NeuN, and GFAP showed neuronal cell alterations caused by Osx deficiency in the mitral cell layer (MCL) and granule cell layer (GCL) of the olfactory bulb at postnatal stage. The number, morphology, and expression patterns of immature neurons, mature neurons, and astrocytes were identical in both wild-type and Osx heterozygous mice. At the post-embryonic stage, the expression of neuronal markers DCX, Nestin, MAP2, and NeuN were examined in the MCL and GCL of the olfactory bulb in wild-type, Osx heterozygous, and Osx knockout embryos. Both DCX- and Nestin-positive immature neurons, and MAP2- and NeuN-positive mature neurons, revealed a similar expression pattern in all mouse types. These results indicated that olfactory bulb development was not significantly impaired in the absence of Osx. Further study may be necessary to explain the functional properties of the olfactory bulb caused by Osx deficiency.