Tag: electrophysiology

Fig. 2a from Riley et al. Medium spiny neuron somas imaged live in Compresstome-prepared acute tail striatum slices at 40x magnification.

Publication Highlight: Mapping the Electrophysiology of the Tail Striatum with Riley et al.

Key Takeaways The tail striatum (TS) is a poorly understood brain region linked to sensory processing, and its medium spiny neurons (MSNs) have never been characterized electrophysiologically in depth — until now. TS-MSNs are electrophysiologically distinct from dorsolateral striatum (DLS) MSNs, with more depolarized resting potentials, lower rheobase, and stronger spontaneous excitatory input. The three […]

Written by on September 16, 2026

Publication Highlight: Psilocybin Prevents Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy by Preserving Mitochondrial Trafficking

Key Takeaways Two doses of psilocybin administered before chemotherapy prevented peripheral neuropathy in mice for up to eight months, without impairing the anti-tumor efficacy of the chemotherapy itself. The neuroprotective effect required serotonin 2A receptor activation but not the drug’s hallucinogenic properties. A nonhallucinogenic 2A agonist worked equally well, opening a practical path to clinical […]

Written by on September 14, 2026

Publication Highlight: How Kv3.1 Channels Shape High-Frequency Firing in the Developing Auditory Brainstem

Key Takeaways Kv3.1b potassium channel expression increases substantially in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) of mice after the onset of hearing, but this upregulation does not explain why individual action potentials become shorter and faster during development. Instead, increased Kv3.1b expression specifically supports the ability of DCN fusiform neurons to sustain high-frequency firing,a capacity critical […]

Written by on September 14, 2026

Publication Highlight: Synthetic Cooling Agents in E-Cigarettes Enhance Nicotine’s Addictive Grip on the Brain

Key Takeaways Synthetic cooling agents WS-3 and WS-23 — widely used as menthol substitutes in e-cigarettes — significantly enhance nicotine self-administration behavior in mice, matching the reinforcing effects of menthol itself. These coolants boost dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core, increase the excitability of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area, and amplify nicotine-induced […]

Written by on August 17, 2026

Masterclass on Tissue Slicing: Multi-Organ Models for Modern Biomedical Research

Precisionary Europe is hosting a free one-day masterclass on tissue slicing in Dublin on July 2, 2026. Featuring a keynote by Dr. Yiying Zhang (Harvard Medical School / MGH) on the gut-brain axis, live hands-on time with the Compresstome VF-510-0Z, and methodology discussions across multiple organ systems. Seating is limited — register free at Eventbrite. […]

Written by on May 12, 2026

The Stability Advantage: Why Agarose Embedding Outperforms Standard Mounting

At Precisionary Instruments, our engineering philosophy is built on a single premise: stability equals quality. This is why the Compresstome® is designed specifically to utilize agarose embedding for every tissue specimen. While traditional vibratomes often rely on a single point of adhesion to a flat stage, the Compresstome® is engineered to work with an agarose […]

Written by on March 9, 2026

Why Researchers Are Choosing the Compresstome Over Cryostats

Simplify your tissue sectioning. Preserve integrity. Eliminate freezing artifacts. Traditional cryostats have long been the go-to tool for tissue sectioning, but they come with significant drawbacks—freezing damage, bulky design, and intensive maintenance. The Compresstome VF-510-0Z offers a modern alternative: a next-generation vibrating microtome that enables fast, reliable sectioning of live or fixed tissues—without the need […]

Written by on November 4, 2025

A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Acute Brain Slices for Electrophysiology

At Precisionary Instruments, we understand that preparing acute brain slices for electrophysiology is a highly technical and delicate process. Many researchers have reached out to us, looking for a clear and structured protocol that walks them through every step. In response, we have developed a detailed, step-by-step experimental guide, one of the first of its […]

Written by on March 26, 2025

New Year, New Slicer: Try Our Compresstome Vibratome Demo Program

Starting the year with fresh research goals? If improving your tissue sectioning workflow is a priority, our 30-day demo program for the Compresstome VF-510-0Z is the perfect opportunity to explore a vibratome that sections tissue faster, preserves sample integrity, and simplifies your lab work. We understand that some institutions require a demo before purchasing, and […]

Written by on February 28, 2025