Male C57BL/6 mice (20-25 g) were anesthetized with isoflurane/oxygen. Moderate controlled cortical impact with pneumatic impactor, 6 m/s impact velocity and 1.5 mm deformation. 8h after surgery, a 4 mm diameter disk of parieto-occipital cortex, centered on the point of impact of the injury and containing the contusion area, was removed and immediately frozen in chilled 2-methylbutane then stored at -80C. 3 mouse cortex disks were pooled prior to RNA extraction.
