200+ labs worldwide use the Mobile HomeCage devices for research in awake head-fixed mice. On this page, we have compiled the Mobile HomeCage references. They include publications, links to educational webinars, video testimonials, and a list of research institutions that use our equipment. Use the menu below to navigate to a specific category:
Publications
Goff, K. M., Liebergall, S. R., Jiang, E., Somarowthu, A., Goldberg, E. M. VIP interneuron impairment promotes in vivo circuit dysfunction and autism-related behaviors in Dravet syndrome (Cell Reports, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112628
Case, S. L., Lin, R.-L., Thibault, O. Age- and sex-dependent alterations in primary somatosensory cortex neuronal calcium network dynamics during locomotion. (Aging Cell, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13898
Luo, P., Yang, F., Li, J., Niemeyer, J.E., Zhan, F., Estin, J., Zhao, M., Li, D., Lin, W., Liou, J.-Y., Ma, H., Schwartz, T.H. (Epilepsia, 2023). Excitatory–inhibitory mismatch shapes node recruitment in an epileptic network. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.17638
Tessier, M., Garcia, S. M., Goubert, E., Blasco, E., Consumi, A., Dehapiot, B., Tian, Li., Molinari, F., Laurin, J., Guillemot, F., Hübner, C., Pellegrino, C., Rivera, C. (Brain, 2023). Bumetanide induces post-traumatic microglia-interneuron contact to promote neurogenesis and recovery. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad132
Fedotova, A., Brazhe, A., Doronin, M., Toptunov, D., Pryazhnikov, E., Khiroug, L., Verkhratsky, A., Semyanov, A. (Function, 2023). Dissociation Between Neuronal And Astrocytic Calcium Activity in Response to Locomotion in Mice. https://doi.org/10.1093/function/zqad019
Sit, K., Goard, M. (Nature Communications, 2023). Coregistration of heading to visual cues in retrosplenial cortex. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37704-5
Krogsgaard, A., Sperling, L., Dahlqvist, M., Thomsen, K., Vydmantaite, G., Li, F., Thunemann, M., Lauritzen, M., & Lind, B. L. (Glia, 2023). PV interneurons evoke astrocytic Ca2+ responses in awake mice, which contributes to neurovascular coupling. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.24370
Parrish R. R., Mackenzie-Gray-Scott, C., Jackson-Taylor, T., Grundmann, A., McLeod, F., Codadu, N.K., Călin, A., Alfonsa, H., Wykes, R. C., Voipio, J. & Trevelyan, A. J. (Journal of Neuroscience, 2022). Indirect effects of Halorhodopsin activation: potassium redistribution, non-specific inhibition and spreading depolarization. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1141-22.2022
Zong, F. J., Min, X., Zhang, Y., Li, Y. K., Zhang, X. T., Liu, Y., & He, K. W. (The EMBO Journal, 2022). Circadian time- and sleep-dependent modulation of cortical parvalbumin-positive inhibitory neurons. https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2022111304
Jafarian, A., Wykes, R. C. (Front. Comput. Neurosci., 2022). Impact of DC-coupled electrophysiological recordings for translational neuroscience: case study of tracking neural dynamics in rodent models of seizures. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncom.2022.900063
Redman et al. (eLife, 2022). Long-term transverse imaging of the hippocampus with glass micro-periscopes https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.75391
Kucharz et al. (Pharmaceutical Research, 2022). Shedding Light on the Blood–Brain Barrier Transport with Two-Photon Microscopy In Vivo. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-022-03266-2
Karalis, N., Sirota, A. (Nature Communications 13, 467, 2022). Breathing coordinates cortico-hippocampal dynamics in mice during offline states. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28090-5
Kucharz et al. (Nature Communications, 2021). Post-capillary venules are the key locus for transcytosis-mediated brain delivery of therapeutic nanoparticles. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24323-1
Calia et al. (Nature Nanotechnology, 2021). Full-bandwidth electrophysiology of seizures and epileptiform activity enabled by flexible graphene microtransistor depth neural probes. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-021-01041-9
Dooley et al. (Current Biology, 2021). Movements during sleep reveal the developmental emergence of a cerebellar-dependent internal model in motor thalamus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.014
Lu, J., Tjia, M., Mullen, B. et al. (Mol Psychiatry, 2021). An analog of psychedelics restores functional neural circuits disrupted by unpredictable stress. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01159-1
O. Ivashkina, A. Gruzdeva, M. Roshchina, K. Toropova, K. Anokhin (Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2021). Imaging of C-fos Activity in Neurons of the Mouse Parietal Association Cortex during Acquisition and Retrieval of Associative Fear Memory. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22158244
R. Padmashri, K. Tyner, A. Dunaevsky (J. Vis .Exp., 2021). Implantation of a Cranial Window for Repeated In Vivo Imaging in Awake Mice. https://doi.org/10.3791/62633
S. H. Bitzenhofer, J. A. Pöpplau, M. Chini, A. Marquardt, I. L. Hanganu-Opatz (Neuron, 2021). A transient developmental increase in prefrontal activity alters network maturation and causes cognitive dysfunction in adult mice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.011
Polina A. Egorova, Aleksandra V. Gavrilova, Ilya B. Bezprozvanny (Cell Calcium, 2021) In vivo analysis of the spontaneous firing of cerebellar Purkinje cells in awake transgenic mice that model spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102319
W.Yang, M.Chini, J.A. Pöpplau, A.Formozov, A. Dieter, P. Piechocinski, C. Rais, F. Morellini,
O. Sporns, I. L. Hanganu-Opatz, J. S. Wiegert (PLoS Biology, 2021) Anesthetics fragment hippocampal network activity, alter spine dynamics, and affect memory consolidation.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001146
E.Masvidal-Codina, T. M. Smith, D.Rathore, Y. Gao, X. Illa, E. Prats-Alfonso, E. Del Corro, A.Bonaccini Calia, G. Rius, I. Martin-Fernandez, C. Guger, P. Reitner, R. Villa, J. A. Garrido, A. Guimerà-Brunet, R.C. Wykes (Journal of Neural Engineering, 2021) Characterization of optogenetically-induced cortical spreading depression in awake mice using graphene micro-transistor arrays. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/abecf3
A.L.Keyesa, Y. Kimb, P. J.Bosch, Y.M.Usachev, G.M. Aldridge (Cell Calcium, 2021) Stay or Go? Neuronal activity in medial frontal cortex during a voluntary tactile preference task in head-fixed mice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceca.2021.102388
A. Bertolo, M. Nouhoum, S. Cazzanelli, J. Ferrier, JC. Mariani, A. Kliewer, B. Belliard, BF. Osmanski, T. Deffieux, S. Pezet, Z. Lenkei, M. Tanter (J. Vis. Exp, 2021) Whole-brain 3D activation and functional connectivity mapping in mice using transcranial functional ultrasound imaging. https://doi.org/10.3791/62267
M. A. Go, J. Rogers, G. Gava, C. Davey, s. Prado, Y. Liu, S. Schultz (Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2021) Place cells in head-fixed mice navigating a floating real-world environment. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2021.618658
A. Rakymzhan, Y. Li, P. Tang, R. K. Wang (Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 2021) Differences in cerebral blood vasculature and flow in awake and anesthetized mouse cortex revealed by quantitative optical coherence tomography angiography. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109094
Lee HS, Han JH. (J Vis Exp., 2020) Successful In vivo Calcium Imaging with a Head-Mount Miniaturized Microscope in the Amygdala of a Freely Behaving Mouse. https://doi.org/10.3791/61659
A.M. Ingiosi, C.R. Hayworth, D.O. Harvey et al. (Current Biology, 2020) A role for astroglial calcium in mammalian sleep and sleep regulation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.052
A.D. Umpierre, L.L Bystrom, Y. Ying, Y. U. Liu, G.Worrell, L.J. Wu (eLife, 2020) Microglial calcium signaling is attuned to neuronal activity in awake mice. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.56502
K. Juczewski, J. Koussa, A. J. Kesner, J. O. Lee, D. M. Lovinger (Scientific Reports, 2020) Stress and behavioral correlates in the head-fixed method: stress measurements, habituation dynamics, locomotion, and motor-skill learning in mice. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69132-6
J. Ferrier, E. Tiran, T. Deffieux, M. Tanter, Z. Lenkei (PNAS, 2020) Functional imaging evidence for task-induced deactivation and disconnection of a major default mode network hub in the mouse brain. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920475117
Y. Li, A. Rakymzhan, P. Tang, R.K. Wang (Biomedical Optics Express, 2020) Procedure and protocols for optical imaging of cerebral blood flow and hemodynamics in awake mice. https://doi.org/10.1364/boe.394649
A.D. Hogan-Cann, P. Lu, C. M. Anderson (PNAS, 2019) Endothelial NMDA receptors mediate activity-dependent brain hemodynamic responses in mice. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1902647116
W. Sun, K. Suzuki, D. Toptunov, S. Stoyanov, M. Yuzaki, L. Khiroug, A. Dityatev (Frontiers in Neuroscience,2019) In vivo Two-Photon Imaging of Anesthesia-Specific Alterations in Microglial Surveillance and Photodamage-Directed Motility in Mouse Cortex. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.00421
E. Pryazhnikov et al. (Scientific Reports, 2018) Longitudinal two-photon imaging in somatosensory cortex of behaving mice reveals dendritic spine formation enhancement by subchronic administration of low-dose ketamine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24933-8
H. Antila et al. (Scientific Reports, 2017) Isoflurane produces antidepressant effects and induces TrkB signaling in rodents. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08166-9
M. Kislin et al. (Journal of Visual Experiments, 2014) Flat-floored air-lifted platform: a new method for combining behavior with microscopy or electrophysiology on awake freely moving rodents. https://doi.org/10.3791/51869
Preprints:
Stern, M. A., Cole, E. R., Gross, R. E., Berglund, K. (2023) Seizure event detection using intravital two-photon calcium imaging data. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.28.558338
Bosch, P. J., Kerr, G., Cole, R. C., Warwick, C. A., Wendt, L. H., Pradeep, A., Bagnall, E. (2023) Enhanced spine stability and survival lead to increases in dendritic spine density as an early response to local alpha-synuclein overexpression in mouse prefrontal cortex. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.28.559765
Lee, D., Liu, L. L., Root, C. M. (2023) Transformation of value signaling in a striatopallidal circuit. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.01.551547
Bandet, M. V., Winship, I. R. (2023) Aberrant cortical activity, functional connectivity, and neural assembly architecture after photothrombotic stroke in mice. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.13.544847
Umpierre, A. D., Li, B., Ayasoufi, K., Zhao, S., Xie, M., Thyen, G., Hur, B., Zheng, J., Liang, Y., Wu, Z. D., Yu, X., Sung, J., Johnson, A. J., Li, Y., Wu, L.-J. (2023). Microglial P2Y6 calcium signaling promotes phagocytosis and shapes neuroimmune responses in epileptogenesis. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.12.544691
Shimoda, Y., Leite, M., Graham, R. T., Marvin, J. S., Hasseman, J., Kolb, I., Looger, L. L., Magloire, V., Kullmann, D. M. (2023) Extracellular glutamate and GABA transients at the transition from interictal spiking to seizures. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.13.381707
Smith, J.A., Ji, Y., Lorsung, R., Breault, S. M., Koenig, J., Cramer, N., Masri, R., Keller, A. (2023) Sex differences in the role of parabrachial in nociception and pain in awake mice https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.22.533230
Kim, M.G., Yu, K., Fouda, R., Argueta, D., Kiven, S., Ni, Y., Niu, X., Chen, Q., Kim, K., Gupta, K., He, B. (2022) Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound changes pain-associated behaviors by modulating pain processing brain circuits. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.07.519518
Haruwaka, K., Ying, Y., Liang, Y., Umpierre, A.D., Yi, M.H., Kremen, V., Chen, T., Xie, T., Dong, H., Worrell, G. and Wu, L.J. (2022) Microglial process dynamics enhance neuronal activity by shielding GABAergic synaptic inputs. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.08.515728
Fiore F., Dereddi R. R., Alhalaseh K., Coban I., Harb A., Agarwal A. (2022) Norepinephrine regulates Ca2+ signals and fate of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the cortex. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.31.505555
Gómez L. J., Dooley J. C., Blumberg, M. S. (2022) Activity in the developing prefrontal cortex is shaped by sleep and sensory experience. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.31.502200
Shi, L., Rodriguez-Contreras, A. (2022). The general anesthetic isoflurane inhibits calcium activity in cerebrovascular endothelial cells and disrupts vascular tone. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.25.485881
A. Virenque, R. Balin, F. M. Noe (2021) Dorsal skull meningeal lymphatic vessels drain blood-solutes after intracerebral hemorrhage. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.09.434530
Video articles in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (Jove)
Bertolo, A., et al. (2021) Whole-Brain 3D Activation and Functional Connectivity Mapping in Mice using Transcranial Functional Ultrasound Imaging. https://www.jove.com/v/62267/whole-brain-3d-activation-functional-connectivity-mapping-mice-using
Kislin, M., et al. (2014) Flat-floored Air-lifted Platform: A New Method for Combining Behavior with Microscopy or Electrophysiology on Awake Freely Moving Rodents. https://www.jove.com/video/51869/flat-floored-air-lifted-platform-new-method-for-combining-behavior
How to cite us
We would appreciate you mentioning our equipment when you publish: please refer to our equipment as the Mobile HomeCage (or HeadFix, if you are using head fixation part only) and to our company as Neurotar. Thank you!
Educational webinars
Developing Prefrontal Circuits and Their Role in Health and Disease. An introduction by Ileana Hanganu-Opatz, PI, Director of the Institute for Developmental Neurophysiology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf followed by presentations by two lab members, Jastyn A. Pöpplau, and Marilena Hnida. Click on the image below and watch the webinar on-demand on the Inside Scientific platform.
Neurovascular Coupling: Novel Insights from Studies in Awake Head-Fixed and Anesthetized Mice. Presenters: Barbara Lind (Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen) and Adrián Rodríguez-Contreras (Associate Professor at Northwestern University). November 3, 2022. Click on the image below to register on the InsideScientific platform.

Sensorimotor Network Development During Early Postnatal Life in the Awake and Sleeping Brain. Presenters: Anna Cavaccini (Theofanis Karayannis lab, University of Zurich), James Dooley (Mark Blumberg lab, University of Iowa). September 2, 2021.
Hippocampal Neural Circuits in Awake Head-Fixed Mice Navigating a Real-World Environment. Presenting labs: Simon Schultz (Imperial College London), Michael Goard (University of California at Santa Barbara). February 18, 2021.
Studying Epilepsy in Awake Head-Fixed Mice Using Microscopy, Electrophysiology, and Optogenetics. Presenting labs: Longjun Wu lab (Mayo Clinic, USA), Rob Wykes lab (UCL, UK). October 8, 2020
Functional Ultrasound (fUS) Imaging in the Brain of Awake Behaving Mice. June 30, 2020.
Place Cell Mapping and Stress Monitoring in Head-Fixed Mice Navigating an Air-Lifted Homecage. August 23, 2019
Single-Cell Electrophysiology and 2-Photon Imaging in Awake Mice with 2D-Locomotion Tracking. February 6, 2019
Making Optical and Electrophysiological Measurements in the Brain of Head-Fixed, Freely-Moving Rodents. March 25, 2015
Testimonials
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