R2Drive
The R2Drive is a recoverable and reusable metal microdrive developed in the Buzsáki lab. It is part of a head-gear system for rats or mice, which we also manufacture.
Like our 3Drive, the R2Drive works with most commercial silicon probes with a flex cable, and can be made compatible with Neuropixels probes (1.0 and 2.0).
A major innovation is that the drive sits on an implantable base and can be removed from it after an experiment for reuse. This allows a probe mounted on the drive to be reused multiple times, resulting in significantly lower costs for experiments and less experimental interruptions due to silicon probe lead times.
In addition, a probe mounted on an R2Drive can easily be connected to a stereotax for acute recordings, allowing you to share probes between acute and chronic experiments.
Protocols
R2Drive stands out from other open-source systems by the abundance of protocols available in peer-reviewed journals.
- Metal microdrive and head cap system for silicon probe recovery in freely moving rodent. Vöröslakos et al., 2021, eLife (https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.65859)
- 3D-printed Recoverable Microdrive and Base Plate System for Rodent Electrophysiology. Vöröslakos et al., 2021, Bio-Protocol (https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.4137)
- Simultaneous electrophysiology and optogenetic perturbation of the same neurons in chronically implanted animals using μLED silicon probes. Kinsky et al., 2023, STAR Protocols (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102570). This protocol was used in the following study: Watkins de Jong et al., 2023, Current Biology
Specs
Example publications using the R2Drive
Ye et al., 2023, bioRxiv
- The Neuropixels Ultra preprint
- Species: Lizard with R2Drive, other species were mouse, macaque and electric fish
Preconfigured dynamics in the hippocampus are guided by embryonic birthdate and rate of neurogenesis
Huszár et al., 2022, Nature Neuroscience
- Species: Mice
- Paradigm: Freely moving / behaving animals
- Silicon probe + optic fiber
Optogenetics reveals paradoxical network stabilizations in hippocampal CA1 and CA3
Watkins de Jong et al., 2023, Current Biology
- Species: Rats / Mice
- µLED silicon probes
Interictal epileptiform discharges affect memory in an Alzheimer’s Disease mouse model
Soula et al., 2023, PNAS
- Model system: AD transgenic mice