RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Application of 3D Printing Technology to Produce Hippocampal Customized Guide Cannulas
JF eneuro
JO eNeuro
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP ENEURO.0099-22.2022
DO 10.1523/ENEURO.0099-22.2022
VO 9
IS 5
A1 Maria Rosaria Tropea
A1 Alberto Torrisi
A1 Valeria Vacanti
A1 Danilo Pizzone
A1 Daniela Puzzo
A1 Walter Gulisano
YR 2022
UL http://www.eneuro.org/content/9/5/ENEURO.0099-22.2022.abstract
AB Implantation of guide cannulas is a widely used technique to access specific brain areas. Although commercially available, the need to personalize these implants and the high cost prompted us to design open-source customized devices taking advantage of 3D printing technology. Our cannulas consisted in a 3D-printed head mount designed according to the Paxinos coordinates to reach the CA1 area of the hippocampus. To cut guide cannulas to the proper length, we designed and realized an original 3D-printed linear motion apparatus. Polylactic acid thermoplastic polymer was used as printing material. Homemade or commercial cannulas were implanted in 4- to 6-month-old wild-type mice and intrahippocampal injections of amyloid-β peptide at different concentrations were performed. In vivo behavioral studies of novel object recognition indicated that results obtained with homemade versus commercial devices were comparable. Methylene blue injections and Nissl staining confirmed the correct localization of cannulas in the CA1 area of mouse hippocampus. Our method allows a fast manufacturing of hippocampal cannulas preserving the required precision at very low cost. Furthermore, this system can be easily modified to produce cannulas to target other brain areas. In conclusion, 3D printing might be used as a useful and versatile technology to realize open-source customized devices in neuroscience laboratories.