A conditional allele (Dchs2) was first generated by flanking the coding part of the last exon, encompassing the transmembrane and intracellular domains of Dchs2, with loxP sites. Mice carrying this constitutively deleted allele (Dchs2) were produced by crossing the former with a germline- active deleter-cre mouse line [Tg(CMV-cre)1Cgn].