Open Tool

Acute Neuropixels Recording Through a 3D Printed Implant

Description

High-density electrode arrays, such as Neuropixels, make it possible to record spiking activity from living brains at an unprecedented scale. Here we describe a protocol for high-density extracellular electrophysiology recordings using a SHIELD craniotomy to provide brain-wide access, a head bar and clamp that precisely locates the brain in our recording setup, and a modular insertion system to flexibly position Neuropixels probes and other instruments in the brain regions being studied.

Use this tool

Projects utilizing this tool

No items found.

Platforms utilizing this tool

No items found.

Platforms accelerate our work

Mesoscale Anatomy

This platform builds on turn-key lightsheet microscopes to image mouse brains at high resolution and throughput. Analysis of the resulting volumetric images, including registration to standard brain coordinates and segmentation and counting of individual neurons, is fully automated.

Explore platform

SLAP2

This platform uses a two-photon microscope SLAP2 that records patterns of synaptic input and output in individual neurons at hundreds to thousands of frames per second in mice performing complex behaviors, using a flexible scan system that combines a digital micromirror device (DMD) with a high-speed scanner.

Explore platform

Scientific Instrumentation & Process Engineering

The Scientific Instrumentation and Process Engineering (SIPE) team is a shared engineering resource within the Allen Institute, focused on enabling and scaling cutting-edge bioscience through integrated hardware and software systems.

Explore platform

Surgery

This team performs a variety of surgical procedures, including stereotaxic injections and implanting chronic cranial windows and Neuropixels probes.

Explore platform

Multi-Neuropixels Electrophysiology

This platform implements pioneering technology for highly reproducible, targeted, brain-wide, cell-type-specific electrophysiology to record neural activity from defined neuron types across the brain. Analysis and quality control of the electrophysiology data are fully automated.

Explore platform

Brain-Wide Anatomy at Synaptic Resolution

This platform combines innovative histology, ExA-SPIM microscopy, image handling, and machine learning to map the morphology and molecular identity of individual neurons across the whole brain at high throughput.

Explore platform

Fiber Photometry

This platform enables optical measurement of neural activity and neurotransmitter release in populations of neurons to study neural circuit dynamics in behaving animals.

Explore platform

Behavior

The Behavior platform uses advanced technology to implement a standardized, modular, multi-task virtual reality gymnasium for mice, with the goal to study brain function across different behaviors at scale.

Explore platform