Extraction and Tissue Clearing Preparation of Mouse Brain-Spinal Cord Samples

Neuroscience research focused on the central nervous system necessitates a thorough understanding of various factors, including cell distribution, neuronal connectivity, and molecular dynamics. Traditional methodologies for investigating the entire brain and spinal cord often involve isolating, sectioning, and scanning tissue slices, followed by the labor-intensive process of three-dimensional image reconstruction. This conventional approach can be both time-consuming and cumbersome. Advancements in tissue clearing and whole-organ imaging techniques have revolutionized the analysis of the entire brain and spinal cord. To maximize the potential of these innovative methods, it is essential to extract and clear brain samples while maintaining their connection to the spinal cord. This protocol provides a detailed and systematic guide for preparing samples of the brain connected to the spinal cord, outlining the extraction and clearing procedures. By streamlining these processes, this approach significantly enhances experimental efficiency and data integrity, thereby fostering advancements in neuroscience research and enabling more comprehensive investigations into the complexities of the central nervous system.