Figure 2.

Laparotomy and in utero electroporation of an anesthetized mouse

(A) After disinfection, the abdomen is shaved manually, and the skin and abdominal cavity are opened longitudinally along the midline using fine scissors.

(B) Taking out the uterus horn with ring forceps.

(C) Injection of shRNA or DNA plasmid/Fast Green solution into one ventricle. Insert: Pulled borosilicate pipette with 1-mm marks filled with diluted Fast Green solution. Filled arrowheads indicate the tapered shoulder and an empty arrowhead marks the ∼2-mm tip after the cut-off.

(D) Ventricles appear in a crescent-shaped form after successful injection (white arrowheads).

(E) Delivering electric pulses across the brain of the embryo using a platinum plate tweezers-type electrode to target the lateral ventricles. + indicates the anode, - indicates the cathode.

(F) Placing the embryos back into the abdominal cavity and filling up the cavity with warm saline. Pulling up both sides of the incision site to slide embryos back to their original position.