Cranial Ring Assembly Installation in Mouse Model: A Surgical Procedure to Implant Visualization Window Assembly on Murine Skull for High-resolution Skull Bone Marrow Imaging

Disinfect the scalp with 70% ethanol with a paper towel while removing the loose hair. Use sterile fine scissors and tweezers to make a T-shaped incision at the midline up to 1 centimeter in-between the ears on the scalp to expose the calvarium.

Expose the skull with tweezers. Then, use scissors and tweezers to carefully remove the periosteum. Use a sterile cotton swab soaked in physiological saline to remove all the periosteum and any debris or hair which could alter the imaging. Rinse the skull with saline to remove any blood traces, and rapidly dry the bone with a cotton swab.

Apply the glue gel to the ring. Place the ring on the exposed bone, and maintain it for a few seconds to allow the ring to firmly attach to the skull. Lightly moisten the skull with a saline-wetted cotton swab.

Prepare the silicon dental paste by carefully mixing the blue and yellow components at a 1 to 1 ratio. Seal the ring by applying the dental paste to prevent leakage during imaging. Carefully remove any dental paste or glue that may have entered the ring. Then fill the ring with saline to check the leakage.

Place the mouse on the support, and put a folded compress under the animal's head to raise the head and prevent detachment of the ring from the skull when attached to the holder. Screw the ring on the block holder. Place the support and mouse assembly in the heated microscope chamber.