Osterix is required for cranial neural crest-derived craniofacial bone formation

► Osx is conditionally inactivated in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells. ► CNC-specific inactivation of Osx resulted in no intramembranous skeletal elements. ► Osx inactivated CNC-derived cells lost their osteogenic ability. ► Osx is required for craniofacial bone formation by CNC-derived cells.