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Protocol for stereotaxic targeting of the dorsal vagal complex in mice.

Overview

Authors: Barbara Robar1, Holly E. Smith1, Lora K. Heisler2, Beatrice M. Filippi1, Pablo B. Martinez de Morentin1
ORCID iDs: Holly E. Smith, Lora K. Heisler, Pablo B. Martinez de Morentin
  1. School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
  2. The Rowett Institute, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Institutions: University of Leeds (United Kingdom); University of Aberdeen (United Kingdom)
Journal: STAR protocols, volume 7, issue 3, article 104807
Dates: published online 27 August 2026; in print August 2026
Type: Research article · Language: English
License: CC BY
Identifiers: DOI 10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807 · PMID 42658682 · PMCID PMC13544392 · OpenAlex W7204475915
Open access: gold, a free copy (OpenAlex)
Status: code on request
Categories: mouse (organism)
Methods: Preprocessing
Keywords: Health Sciences, Model Organisms, Neuroscience, Systems biology
Topic: Neuroscience of respiration and sleep (Endocrine and Autonomic Systems, Neuroscience), according to OpenAlex
Funding: University of Leeds; UK Research and Innovation; RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (BB/V016849/1); Medical Research Council (MRC/Z50614X/1); Career Development Fellowship (MR/S007288/1); Wellcome Trust (UNS63234); Royal Society (The Royal Society) (RGS\R2\252055)
Citations: not cited yet (Europe PMC); 35 references in the paper

Abstract

The dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is a critical brainstem hub for gut-brain communication, yet detailed accounts for targeting it in mice remain lacking. Here, we present a protocol for bilateral DVC injections via the atlanto-occipital membrane joint. We describe steps for exposing and dissecting the atlanto-occipital membrane, bilateral administration of injectable agents into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), closure of the wound, and post-operative monitoring. This protocol enables studies using tracings, optogenetics, chemogenetics, and related neuroscience techniques.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

Code

The paper says that its authors' code is available on request: it was not published with the paper, so there is nothing to verify.

The paper's code and data availability statement is in the Data section.

Tracing map

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Data

No dataset and no data link were found in the paper.

Data and code availability

Representative histological data are presented in this protocol. Additional data available from the lead contact upon request.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

Versions

The history of this record: each version stored by the harvester or made by a correction of its authors or of the maintainers of its code, and what changed in its facts. The texts of the paper (its abstract, its availability statements) are not part of it; versions that changed only those are not listed.

Version 2, 28 September 2026

  • Authors: added Pablo B. Martinez de Morentin (0000-0002-0684-3215); removed Pablo B. Martinez de Morentin

Version 1, 27 September 2026: the first record

Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 5 authors, 4 keywords, 7 funders, 35 references.

Cite

This paper

Robar, B., Smith, H. E., Heisler, L. K., Filippi, B. M., & Martinez de Morentin, P. B. (2026). Protocol for stereotaxic targeting of the dorsal vagal complex in mice. STAR protocols, 7(3), 104807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807

BibTeX

@article{robar2026protocol,
author = {Robar, Barbara and Smith, Holly E. and Heisler, Lora K. and Filippi, Beatrice M. and Martinez de Morentin, Pablo B.},
title = {{Protocol for stereotaxic targeting of the dorsal vagal complex in mice}},
journal = {STAR protocols},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
volume = {7},
number = {3},
pages = {104807},
publisher = {Elsevier},
issn = {2666-1667},
doi = {10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807},
pmid = {42658682},
pmcid = {PMC13544392}
}

RIS

TY - JOUR
AU - Robar, Barbara
AU - Smith, Holly E.
AU - Heisler, Lora K.
AU - Filippi, Beatrice M.
AU - Martinez de Morentin, Pablo B.
TI - Protocol for stereotaxic targeting of the dorsal vagal complex in mice
T2 - STAR protocols
J2 - STAR Protoc
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/27
VL - 7
IS - 3
SP - 104807
SN - 2666-1667
PB - Elsevier
DO - 10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104807
LA - en
ER -

CSL-JSON

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