Electrophysiology of Laminar Cortical Activity in the Common Marmoset

The marmoset monkey provides an ideal model for examining laminar cortical circuits due to its smooth cortical surface, which facilitates recordings with linear arrays. The marmoset has recently grown in popularity due to its similar neural functional organization to other primates and its technical advantages for recording and imaging. However, neurophysiology in this model poses some unique challenges due to the small size and lack of gyri as anatomical landmarks. Using custom-built micro-drives, researchers can manipulate linear array placement to sub-millimeter precision and reliably record at the same retinotopically targeted location across recording days. This protocol describes the step-by-step construction of the micro-drive positioning system and the neurophysiological recording technique with silicon linear electrode arrays. With precise control of electrode placement across recording sessions, researchers can easily traverse the cortex to identify areas of interest based on their retinotopic organization and the tuning properties of the recorded neurons. Further, using this laminar array electrode system, it is possible to apply a current source density analysis (CSD) to determine the recording depth of individual neurons. This protocol also demonstrates examples of laminar recordings, including spike waveforms isolated in Kilosort, which span multiple channels on the arrays.