Astrocytes communicate with the vascular endothelium via direct cell–cell contacts as well as a variety of secreted growth
            factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors for ECM protein ligands,
            and many integrin subunits are expressed in astrocytes. Here, we will discuss gene deletion strategies in mice that have deciphered
            functions for specific integrins in astrocyte-endothelial cell adhesion and signaling. Specifically, we will detail how Cre-lox
            molecular genetic techniques have revealed important roles for integrin αvβ8 in regulating cerebral blood vessel development
            and homeostasis. First, we will detail how to generate Cre-lox mutant mouse models that our group and others have used to
            study αvβ8 integrin in embryonic astroglial progenitors and postnatal astrocytes. Second, we will discuss how viral-delivered
            Cre can be used to acutely delete integrin genes in astrocytes within defined anatomic regions of the brain. Third, detailed
            in vivo methods to verify Cre-mediated gene recombination in astrocytes will be presented. Lastly, we will present one experimental
            strategy to determine how integrin gene deletion affects astrocyte-endothelial cell coupling in the CNS. While this review
            focuses on the generation and characterization of mice lacking αvβ8 integrin, these experimental strategies can be expanded
            to analyze other cell adhesion and signaling genes important for astroglial-mediated regulation of blood vessel development
            and homeostasis.