Large-scale two-photon calcium imaging in freely moving mice

We developed a miniaturized two-photon microscope (MINI2P) for fast, high-resolution, multiplane calcium imaging of over 1,000 neurons at a time in freely moving mice. With a microscope weight below 3 g and a highly flexible connection cable, MINI2P allowed stable imaging with no impediment of behavior in a variety of assays compared to untethered, unimplanted animals. The improved cell yield was achieved through a optical system design featuring an enlarged field of view (FOV) and a microtunable lens with increased z-scanning range and speed that allows fast and stable imaging of multiple interleaved planes, as well as 3D functional imaging. Successive imaging across multiple, adjacent FOVs enabled recordings…