Techniques for Intracranial Stereotaxic Injections of Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors in Adult Mice

Abstract

Stereotaxic intracranial injection of viral vectors is a valuable technique to directly deliver genetic material to a specific population of cells in the central nervous system of a mouse model. This enables scientists to test candidate gene therapies or disease modulators that can then provide insight into the pathological mechanisms of disease. In this article, we present a standardized method of conducting intracranial stereotaxic injection of adeno-associated virus into a specific brain region in a mouse model. Support protocols are provided for virus dialysis and testing new stereotaxic coordinates with dye. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Keywords: AAV; CNS; adeno-associated virus; central nervous system; injection; intracranial; stereotaxic.