Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor ST, complete equipment

Has been developed to fit mice on any rat sized stereotaxic instrument. According to this approach, this is not a complete stereotaxic device, but a precise fixing adaptor especially for small mice. We found, that there are different, very good stereotaxic instruments in every lab, but they are too rude to use them for mice. Our Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor breaks this limitation.

We have tested our Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor on David Kopf 900 and Stoelting rat stereotaxic instruments. According to its small size and universal, adjustable fixing elements, it can be used on nearly every other stereotaxic instruments, too. Its stability is superb. We have tested it on a 2-photon microscope, as well. The target neurons could be examined approximately in ten minutes without any disturbing movement.

This Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor is designed to use for stereotaxic surgery, electrode implantation and stereotaxic injection of compounds using all power of the best rat stereotaxic instruments. The principle of the mouse head holder resembles the Cunningham mouse adaptor but it has major improvements. It can be used either in combination with rat stereotaxic frame, or as a stand alone head restraining device. It allows to use two electrode positioners and application of Halothane anaesthesia in open inhalation systems. Its ear bars are designed for accurate holding of the scull and prevent damage or compression of the soft bone of the mouse and small rat skull. Because of applying the same head restraining spots of the scull as it is in use in the case of rats, our Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor allows exceptional high accuracy of stereotaxic positioning in mouse, particularly if it is applied together with digital electrode positioning.

The cone of ear bars fits to the meatus hole. The shape of the ear bar is designed so that it provide a large surface contact to the bone of the skull around the outer ear hole. Thus the cone tip serves only for accurate positioning of the ear bar but does not hold the weight of the head. It allows accurate positioning of the ear bars and firm contact without damaging the skull.

The tooth holder has a hole drilled into the tooth holder bar. The end of the hole is close to the nose and it serves the application of Halothane or other inhalation narcotics on mouse to reduce the risk of anaesthesia. Tooth holders are designed so that a 2 mm lateral movement of the teeth prevents torsion or damage of the scull during centering the head.

The tip of ear bars can be replaced to custom made bar tips. Any kind of bar tips can be made by the manufacturer or by the user. The internal geometry of the ears of mice depend on their age and race very much. This is the reason, why ear bars have got strong, durable stainless steel handles and changeable tips made of soft aluminum. These aluminum cones can be modified by the user with a rasp. If you find the appropriate geometry of the cones fitting in the ears of your mice perfectly, please send us a drawing of the desired, exact geometry of cones. We will manufacture new ear bar tips for you according to your specification free of charge. Optionally, cogged ear bars can also be ordered for softer but accurate fastening of the head.

This Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor has got height adjustable legs. They are used to adjust the height of the equipment to fit to the height of the stereotaxic frame. Furthermore they provide a precise way to adjust the horizontality.

We have developed a unique fixing method to fasten the our Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor on an optical table or on any other surface. The essence of the fixing method is, that only four pieces of M6 holes are needed anywhere (!) around the adaptor to fix it. It is not necessary to drill extra fixing holes, any given holes can be used to fix the instrument on the basement. This innovative idea provides very rigid and universal way to fasten the equipment. With the flexible scissor styled elements the fixing holes can be found accurately, then the screws should be tightened. The scissor styled fixing elements are optional accessories. If you do not need to fasten the instrument, you should not order them.

Certainly, the temperature of the adaptor is controlled accurately. It contains the heating elements and a temperature sensor, too. So, it is not necessary to buy a separated heating pad, because this function is included. To control its temperature a Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller assembled with 12V FINE DC power end-stage should also be ordered.

There is a M4 screw on the equipment to connect it to the central ground point of the rig, if sensitive electrophysiological recording is carried out on it. The heating of the equipment does not generate any hum noise, it is electronically dead quiet.

There are different versions of nose clamps and ear bars to choose from. Please select the optimal version for your animals. Your choice of such specialities has no effect on the price of the complete equipment.

Our Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor provides such a level of mechanical stability, that intracellular recording of a thalamocortical neuron in an anaesthetized mouse with a sharp glass pipette can be carried out easily even in an hour time period.

The parts of the Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor can also be ordered independently, part by part. You can use these parts as a self-assembling DIY kit, if you would like to build your customized Stereotaxic Frame Adaptor. This way you can use your own, old stereotaxic device to fix mice on it or you can build any special fixing adaptor optimized for your own requirements.

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