Plexon’s U, V, and S-Probes are used for recordings of spiking activity and local field potentials by researchers from over 200 universities. Available in 8, 16, 24, 32, and 64 channel configurations, the probes are durable, highly customizable, and often used in acute research with medium to large animals.

Customer requests and feedback have resulted in many new probe designs and customizations that have helped solve various issues in the lab. One common customization is the addition of a fluid channel or fiber optic. Many labs use fluid channels to inject a drug in the same brain region they are interested in recording neural activity. We recently met with a lab that was concerned that the pressure of the injected solution was pushing tissue away from the recording sites. The lab proposed trying a 32 channel S-Probe with both single and stereotrode site configurations as well as a fluid channel in the middle of the stereotrode section of the probe. The goal of this configuration was to concentrate the number of sites adjacent to the fluid channel opening in the hopes of being able to record immediately after an injection.

The most unique aspect of this design was the request for both single and stereotrode configurations on the same probe. After discussing the design with our team, and finalizing specifications with the researcher, this new probe was manufactured with 50μm interelectrode and intraelectrode spacing.

The lab will use the S-Probe with pressure injection to pharmacologically manipulate a specific area of the brain. The site configuration places more recording sites near the injection site and thus may allow the researchers to record from neurons that were previously displaced by the injected solution.

The image above shows sites 1-8 in a single configuration, sites 9-24 in a stereotrode configuration and sites 25-32 in a single configuration. The fluid channel is visible above stereotrodes 4 and 5.

Are you interested in using U, V, or S-Probes in your experiments? Don’t forget these probes can be made to your exact specifications and they are often manufactured with custom designs that allow for easier implantation and more precise control during neural recording. Plexon sales engineers can discuss the best option for your specific experiment.

Is there something in your lab that you think Plexon could help make easier? Contact us to provide the details and we will be happy to discuss this with our engineers.