Open-source, high performance miniature 2-photon microscopy systems for freely behaving animals

Here we describe the UCLA 2P Miniscope, an open-source miniature 2-photon microscope capable of recording calcium dynamics from neurons in deep structures and from dendrites over a 445 µm × 380 µm field of view. The system utilizes two on-board silicon-based photon detectors for approximately 4-fold greater light collection compared to an optical fiber bundle-based approach. The microscope can electronically focus within a 150 µm range at a native working distance of 720 µm. To test the 2P Miniscope, we recorded calcium dynamics from place cells in hippocampus, resolved calcium transients from dendrites in retrosplenial cortex and we recorded dentate granule cell activity at a depth of over 620 µm, through an intact hippocampus during open field behavior. The miniature microscope itself and all supporting equipment are open-source and all files needed for building the scope can be accessed through the Golshani Lab GitHub repository.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-08-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62534-y
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.21

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article

Open-source, high performance miniature 2-photon microscopy systems for freely behaving animals

Peyman Golshani, Matthew Shtrahman, Daniel Aharoni, Megha Sehgal et al.
5 citations
Nature Communications
Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
4.21
article

Open-source, high performance miniature 2-photon microscopy systems for freely behaving animals

Peyman Golshani, Matthew Shtrahman, Daniel Aharoni, Megha Sehgal, Blake Madruga, Conor C. Dorian, Long Yang, Alcino J. Silva
article en
5 citations

Abstract

Here we describe the UCLA 2P Miniscope, an open-source miniature 2-photon microscope capable of recording calcium dynamics from neurons in deep structures and from dendrites over a 445 µm × 380 µm field of view. The system utilizes two on-board silicon-based photon detectors for approximately 4-fold greater light collection compared to an optical fiber bundle-based approach. The microscope can electronically focus within a 150 µm range at a native working distance of 720 µm. To test the 2P Miniscope, we recorded calcium dynamics from place cells in hippocampus, resolved calcium transients from dendrites in retrosplenial cortex and we recorded dentate granule cell activity at a depth of over 620 µm, through an intact hippocampus during open field behavior. The miniature microscope itself and all supporting equipment are open-source and all files needed for building the scope can be accessed through the Golshani Lab GitHub repository.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
West Los Angeles College (US), University of California, Los Angeles (US), UCLA Health (US), UCLA Medical Center (US), University of California San Diego (US), California Institute for Biomedical Research (US), The Ohio State University (US), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
University of Rochester, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
4.21
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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