Convection-Enhanced Delivery of Antibodies into a Mouse Brain

Secure an anesthetized mouse that has a cranial midline incision to a stereotactic frame.

Detect the bregma, a reference point on the skull, and determine the injection location.

Create a burr hole at the location, avoiding damage to the dura mater covering the brain.

Take a step catheter loaded with antibodies, mounted on a stereotactic robot, and connected to an infusion pump.

The catheter comprises a fused silica capillary protruding from a metal needle, creating a stepped outer diameter at the fusion point.

Insert the catheter into the brain parenchyma. Start the infusion pump to create a pressure gradient at the catheter opening and deliver the antibodies at a controlled rate, a technique known as convection-enhanced delivery.

The stepped diameter compresses the tissue, creating a seal.

The seal prevents fluid reflux and enables the distribution of large antibody volumes while lowering the risk of tissue damage.

For antibody injection into the murine striatum, confirm a lack of response to skin pinch in an anesthetized mouse, and shave the head with a hair trimmer. Disinfect the skin with cotton swabs soaked in iodine solution.

Use a scalpel to make a 10-millimeter skin incisi