Prior Scientific reports that its collaboration with Neurotar (Helsinki, Finland) has produced a seamlessly integrated solution for in vivo microscopic imaging in the brains of awake and moving rodents. The solution is based upon Prior’s ultra-stable and easily adjustable Z Deck platform.

Neurotar’s Mobile HomeCage™ is an accessory device for microscopy and electrophysiology, which enables high-precision tests in the brain of awake, head-fixed, but otherwise freely moving rodents. The Mobile HomeCage™ eliminates the need for anesthesia and thus preserves the full physiological functioning of the brain. It provides a natural, tangible environment, which alleviates the stress experienced by rodents during experiments under standard head-fixation conditions. Stress reduction helps reduce the run-up time to the start of experiments and improves their reproducibility. The Mobile HomeCage™ is compact – it fits into most imaging set-ups without the need for modifications. Last but not least, it allows combining state-of-the-art neurophysiological techniques (such as in vivo two-photon microscopy, optogenetics, intrinsic optical imaging and in vivo patch-clamp) with behavioral paradigms in a single experiment.

Working closely with Neurotar, Prior has developed a fixing kit allowing seamless integration of the Mobile HomeCage™ with the Z Deck. The Z Deck is an ultra-stable, height-adjustable platform designed specifically for electrophysiology and microscopy applications in neuroscience, which is available with an integral motorized positioning stage, a manual positioning stage, or a fixed top plate. The Z Deck is compatible with a wide range of microscopes.

Available from Neurotar (www.neurotar.com) the new fixing kit allows neuroscientists to combine the benefits offered by the Mobile HomeCage™ with the stability, height adjustment and operational flexibility offered by the Z Deck. Importantly, the fixing kit allows the loading of the mouse either on or off the stage followed by a quick and precise re-positioning of the Mobile HomeCage onto the Z Deck. This means that the delicate operation of mouse-loading does not need to be performed around the microscope system itself.