Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator M100Series

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a focal, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation technique capable of depolarizing or hyperpolarizing cortical neurons in both animals and humans. By directing amagnetic field pulse through the intact skull, TMS converts magnetic energy into electrical energy within theunderlying brain tissue. Our laboratory has the TMS Machine M-100 series equipped with two figure-of-eightcoils, one for human application and other for small laboratory animals (i.e.rodents). The machine has aliquid-cooling unit whichsupports whole-day stimulation even using high frequencies

cOFM pump for open flow microperfusion  

CerebralOpen Flow Microperfusion (cOFM) is an advanced, minimally invasive in vivo sampling technology. Unlike traditional methods, OFM is membrane-free and allows for time-resolved sampling, providing accurateand continuous monitoring of various substances within the interstitial fluid.It allows sampling of interstitial brain fluid from awake, freely moving animal without disruption of blood-brain barrier. This cutting-edgetechnique is ideal for capturing dynamic changes in the brain’s biochemical environment, making it an invaluable tool for neurochemical research and therapeutic development. Our laboratory is equipped with two Microperfusion-pump for laboratory use (MPP102 PC/MPP102-II PC) which allows simultaneous sampling offour animals.

Raturn Movement Response System for Rats, Mice and Similar-Sized Rodents

The BASi® Raturn system utilizes a unique, movement-responsive action to prevent the tangling of inletand outlet lines. This unique system allows the running of contiguous lines to your animal, and maintains the integrity of catheters, infusion lines, liquid lines, cables (electrical wires), optical fibers and other connections between an animal and devices external to the cage. It can be used in any experimental setting in place of aliquid swivel and/or a commutator which makes it an ideal combination for continiousin vivo sampling with cOFM technology. Our laboratory is equipped with four AMD-R Raturn Cage systems, which enable us tosample interstitial brain fluid from four freely moving animals simultaneously over an extended period of time without the tubes becoming entangled

Behavioural test apparatus

Square OpenField test assesses general locomotor activity and anxiety-related behavior in rodents by observing their movement and exploration in a square arena.
Elevated Plus-Mazeevaluates anxiety levels in rodents by measuring their preference for open,elevated arms versus enclosed arms of a plus-shaped maze.
Novel Object Recognition Testmeasures memory function by recording a rodent’s interaction with anew object compared to a familiar one.
Light/Dark Box test gauges anxiety-like behavior based on a rodent’s natural aversion to brightlyilluminated areas and preference for darker, enclosed spaces.
Radial Arm Mazeis used to assess spatial learning and memory in rodents by observing their ability tonavigate a maze with multiple arms to find rewards.
Rota Rod test evaluates motor coordination and balance by timing how long a rodent can stay on arotating rod without falling off.
Beam walking testevaluates motor coordination and balance of rodent by measuring time andnumber ofextremitiesprolapses while crossing the beam.

Methods

Measuring animal behavior

We routinely apply various tests for measurement of animal behavior in various apparatus and paradigms and in housing-like conditions with INBEST (Integrated Behavioral Station) which can measure mice wake-sleep activity, food and water intake and wheel activity.

Stereotaxic surgery and microinjections

We are equipped with semi-automatic stereotaxic (Stoelting) apparatus for rats and controllable microinjector for small volumes i.e. from nanoliters to milliliters (Harvard apparatus).

Cerebral open-flow microperfusion with Raturn system

We are equipped with four complete systems necessary to perform cerebral open-flow microperfusion experiments from various brain regions. This technique allows continuous sampling of interstitial brain fluid from chosen brain region without disturbing blood-brain barrier (BBB) which allows examination of potential pharmacological agents and whether they cross BBB if applied peripherally. When coupled with Raturn system it allows a long-term sampling (measured in hours and days) from fully awake, active animal.

Immunohistochemistry and immunoblot

We routinely use classical histological staining and immunohistochemistry method on frozen brain sections for further analysis. We also use immunoblot and dot blot analysis on various tissue fractions i.e. whole cell fraction, crude synaptosomal fraction, purified synaptosomes, glial fraction, cytosolic fraction, crude and purified mitochondrial fraction.

Light and confocal microscopy

We image previously prepared sections on both light and confocal microscopy. We analyze images for various parameters (fluorescence intensity, cell count, fractal analysis, various morphological parameters).

Golgi-Cox staining and dendritic spine analysis

We routinely perform modified Golgi-Cox staining and analysis of type and frequency of dendritic spines under light and confocal microscopy.

Enzyme essays and enzyme histochemistry

We routinely perform modified enzyme assays measuring levels of ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis as well as activity of adenosine deaminase. Furthermore, we perform enzyme histochemistry which allows us to detect robust changes of ATPase, ADPase and AMPase activities on frozen sections in various brain region.