We present a surgical protocol detailing how to perform a cut or crush axotomy on the facial nerve in the mouse. The facial nerve axotomy can be employed to study the physiological response to nerve injury and test therapeutic techniques.
Olmstead, D. N., Mesnard-Hoaglin, N. A., Batka, R. J., Haulcomb, M. M., Miller, W. M., Jones, K. J. Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury. J. Vis. Exp. (96), e52382, doi:10.3791/52382 (2015).