January 12th, 2014

Today, we worked with the rats in B1 and B2. The microinjections went relatively smoothly. However, it took a while to prepare the tubing for the CDP rat in B2. I also learned how to vortex the CDP and aCSF. After watching Dr. Holstein and Alex, I completed my first microinjection on Rat 10. This rat has a damaged left cannula but he will be undergoing microinjections each day. Dr. Holstein and Alex taught me how to hold the rat during the microinjection. Because I have small hands, Alex held the rat's bottom during the injections. I have to say, it was a very long four minutes. Even though I have gotten very comfortable inserting and removing the dummies in the cannulae, I found it much more difficult during the microinjections. The rat kept writhing around and I had to consciously remind myself to keep the tubing away from the rat's mouth. After we completed the microinjections for the first set of rats, I cleaned the tables in the lab and swept the floors. I also agitated the cannulae for the rats, excluding those who underwent surgery today. At the end of the microinjections, Alex and I cleaned out the water bottles.