We present a method to form an imaging window in the mouse skull that spans millimeters and is stable for months without inflammation of the brain. This method is well suited for longitudinal studies of blood flow, cellular dynamics, and cell/vascular structure using two-photon microscopy.
Shih, A. Y., Mateo, C., Drew, P. J., Tsai, P. S., Kleinfeld, D. A Polished and Reinforced Thinned-skull Window for Long-term Imaging of the Mouse Brain. J. Vis. Exp. (61), e3742, doi:10.3791/3742 (2012).