Free-Hand Intracerebroventricular Injections in Mice

Summary

Here, a simple and rapid approach for performing intracerebroventricular injections in mice using a free-hand approach (that is, without a stereotaxic device) is described.

Abstract

The investigation of neuroendocrine systems often requires the delivery of drugs, viruses, or other experimental agents directly into the brains of mice. An intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection allows the widespread delivery of the experimental agent throughout the brain (particularly in the structures near the ventricles). Here, methods for making free-hand ICV injections in adult mice are described. By using visual and tactile landmarks on the heads of mice, injections into the lateral ventricles can be made rapidly and reliably. The injections are made with a glass syringe held in the experimenter's hand and placed at approximate distances from the landmarks. Thus, this technique does not require a stereotaxic frame. Furthermore, this technique requires only brief isoflurane anesthesia, which permits the subsequent assessment of mouse behavior and/or physiology in awake, freely behaving mice. Free-hand ICV injection is a powerful tool for the efficient delivery of experimental agents into the brains of living mice and can be combined with other techniques such as frequent blood sampling, neural circuit manipulation, or in vivo recording to investigate neuroendocrine processes.

Introduction

The delivery of experimental agents, such as drugs¹, viruses², or cells³, to the brain is often necessary for neuroendocrine research. If the agent does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier or the experimental objective is to specifically test the central effects of the agent, it is important to have a reliable method for delivering injections into the brain. Moreover, injection into the intracerebroventricular (ICV) space provides the opportunity to distribute the agent widely in the brain and provides a large target area, thus increasing the likelihood of successful injection

Protocol

All the procedures were approved by the Colorado State University (#3960) and University of California San Diego Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees, where the representative data were collected (S13235, PI Kellie Breen Church). Data from five adult female and two adult male C57/BL6 mice (9-16 weeks old) are depicted in the representative data section. Female mice were ovariectomized 3-4 weeks prior to ICV injection and blood collection as described previously⁷. Prior to experimentation, .......

Discussion

Here, a simple and effective means for making ICV injections in mice is described. Since this technique does not require a stereotaxic frame, this approach for the central delivery of drugs and experimental agents is accessible to more researchers. Additionally, this approach is relatively high throughput since the preparation and injection procedure can be performed quickly.

Since this procedure requires the manipulation of needles and a glass syringe by hand using approximate distances, it i.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
18-gauge blunt needles	SAI Infusion	B18-150
18-gauge needles	BD Medical	305195
Alcohol pads	Fisher Scientific	22-363-750
Bench pad	Fisher Scientific	14-206-62AC22
Betadine solution	Fisher Scientific	NC1696484
Buprenorphine	Patterson Vet Supply	07-892-5235	Controlled substance
Eyelube	Fisher Scientific	50-218-8442
Glass syringe	Hamilton	7634-01
Injection needle	Hamilton	7803-01	27 gauge, Small Hub RN needle, point style: 4, Needle length: 10cm, Angle: 45
Isoflurane	Patterson Vet Supply	07-893-8441
Isoflurane vaporizer	Vet Equip	V-10
Laboratory Tape	VWR	89098-128
Medical grade oxygen	Airgas	OX USPEA
Paraformaldehyde	Millipore-Sigma	8.18715.1000
Phosphate Buffered Saline	Fisher Scientific	J67802.K2
PulsaR Software	Open source, University of Otago		See ref 9
Ruler	Fisher Scientific	12-00-152
Silastic tubing (0.040" I.D.)	DOW	508-005
Silastic tubing (0.078" I.D.)	DOW	508-009
Sterile saline	VWR	101320-574
Sucrose	Fisher Scientific	S5-500