Feb 16, 2026

Public workspaceVTA and PnO Viral Injections With Optic Fiber Implantation

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvry2rbgmk/v1
  • Cristian González-Cabrera1,
  • Rukhshona Kayumova2,
  • Matthias Prigge3
  • 1LIN;
  • 2Leibniz Institute for Neuorbiology;
  • 3Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
Cristian González-Cabrera
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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvry2rbgmk/v1
Protocol Citation: Cristian González-Cabrera, Rukhshona Kayumova, Matthias Prigge 2026. VTA and PnO Viral Injections With Optic Fiber Implantation . protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvry2rbgmk/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: February 16, 2026
Last Modified: February 16, 2026
Protocol Integer ID: 243382
Keywords: pno viral injections with optic fiber implantation, pno viral injection, stereotaxic viral injections into vta, optic fiber implantation, fiber implant headcap, stereotaxic viral injection, implantation of optical fiber, implant headcap, implant, injection, implantation, optical fiber, vta, skull screw, pno
Abstract
This protocol describes stereotaxic viral injections into VTA and/or PnO followed by implantation of optical fibers in the same surgical session. Implants are fixed using dental cement. No skull screws are used for the fiber implant headcap.
Materials
- All materials listed in the injections-only protocol.
- Optical fibers and ferrules appropriate for the experiment (e.g., 200 μm NA 0.39 or 400 μm NA 0.66).
- Dental cement for implant fixation (no skull screws).
- Patch cords and mating sleeves for later behavioral and recording sessions.
Troubleshooting
Step-by-Step Procedure
Induce and maintain isoflurane anesthesia (3-4% induction; 1.0-1.5% maintenance). Place the mouse in the stereotaxic frame on a 37 C heating pad.
Expose and level the skull. Drill craniotomies for VTA and/or PnO injections and for the planned implant target(s).
Perform viral injections into VTA and/or PnO at the specified coordinates using slow infusion and a brief post-injection dwell time before retraction.
Prepare optical fiber(s) for implantation.
Implant the fiber(s) to the target depth: either bilateral PnO fibers using a 15 degree lateral approach (DV -4.25 mm) or a VTA fiber above VTA (DV -4.00 mm), depending on the experiment.
Verify implant position and stability.
Fix the fiber implant(s) using dental cement (no skull screws) and allow cement to fully cure.
Close any remaining exposed scalp margins around the implant base as appropriate.
Monitor until recovery from anesthesia and provide post-operative care.