Mouse Headpost Implantation: A Method for Head Fixation in Rodents

After confirming a lack of response to toe pinch in a sedated mouse, use a pair of blunt forceps to grasp the skin at the back of the head and use scissors to make a 1.5-centimeter longitudinal incision to expose the skull. Gently scratch the periosteum with a scalpel and apply a drop of green activator onto the middle of the skull to increase the bone permeability.

Next, mix one spoonful of polymer from the implantation kit with five drops of monomer and one drop of catalyzer, and brush a generous amount of cement mix between the lambda and bregma skull landmarks. Using a swiping motion from lambda to bregma, quickly place the headpost onto the cement, and reapply additional cement around the inferior part of the post to ensure that the headpost sticks securely to the skull.

While the cement is drying, mix the resin powder with the resin liquid to a smooth consistency and apply the resulting resin mixture to the dried cement and around the headpost. After allowing the resin to dry for 3 minutes, use a vicryl 4-0 suture to close the skin at the back of the ears and use a cotton swab to apply a 10% to 20% iodine solution to the incision. Then, place the animal under a red light with monitoring until full recovery.