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Injection of Adeno-Associated Virus Containing Optogenetic and Chemogenetic Probes into the Neonatal Mouse Brain

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Basic Neurobiology Techniques

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 152))

Abstract

Optogenetics and chemogenetics are neuromodulation techniques used to study neuronal pathways. Viral vectors containing optogenetic or chemogenetic probes require at least a week after injection to produce effective expression levels in neurons. Therefore, injections need to be done in neonatal mice to enable experiments that require mice younger than 30 days of age. Here, we describe a protocol for performing surgery on neonatal mice and brain injection of a viral vector. The procedure utilizes cryoanesthesia and a pressure injector with a micropipette that can be directly injected through the skull of neonatal mice. Compared to other approaches, this protocol is relatively easy to implement and takes only minutes to perform, additionally allowing for increased numbers of injections. In the examples shown in this chapter, viral vectors were successfully delivered into the auditory cortex and the hippocampus as indicated by labeled expression of the optogenetic/chemogenetic probes. This technique provides a method for investigators to perform surgical injections and optogenetic/chemogenetic experiments in neonatal mice.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by research grant DC013073 from the National Institutes of Health.

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Author notes

  1. Nhan C. Huynh

    Present address: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Nhan C. Huynh, Baher A. Ibrahim, Christopher M. Lee & Daniel A. Llano

  2. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Urbana, IL, USA

    Nhan C. Huynh, Baher A. Ibrahim, Christopher M. Lee, Mickeal N. Key & Daniel A. Llano

  3. Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Mickeal N. Key & Daniel A. Llano

Authors
  1. Nhan C. Huynh
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  2. Baher A. Ibrahim
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  3. Christopher M. Lee
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  4. Mickeal N. Key
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  5. Daniel A. Llano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel A. Llano .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Levine College of Health Sciences, Wingate University, Wingate, NC, USA

    Nicholas J. D. Wright

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Huynh, N.C., Ibrahim, B.A., Lee, C.M., Key, M.N., Llano, D.A. (2020). Injection of Adeno-Associated Virus Containing Optogenetic and Chemogenetic Probes into the Neonatal Mouse Brain. In: Wright, N. (eds) Basic Neurobiology Techniques . Neuromethods, vol 152. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9944-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9944-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-9943-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-9944-6

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