A 3D model of a 56-day old C57BL/6 mouse brain. The model was derived from the "two-sided" volumetric anatomical atlas of the left-hemisphere, which was computationally mirrored to create the right-hemisphere. The two hemispheres are shown combined, into a single digital brain, to illustrate the curvature of the brain, which is used to align it to the conical planes. A positioning bar was computationally added to each hemisphere model (B), to allow for a convenient means of holding, positioning, and aligning each model in the freezing platform, as shown in (C). The freezing platform is used to control the position of the two hemisphere models (left or right), relative to the base-mold, during freezing. The vertical position of the hemisphere models is adjustable, to allow for insertion and removal of the base-mold and the cast mold.