Widefield in vivo imaging system with two fluorescence and two reflectance channels, a single sCMOS detector, and shielded illumination.

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Widefield microscopy of the entire dorsal part of mouse cerebral cortex enables large-scale ("mesoscopic") imaging of different aspects of neuronal activity with spectrally compatible fluorescent indicators as well as hemodynamics via oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin absorption. Versatile and cost-effective imaging systems are needed for large-scale, color-multiplexed imaging of multiple fluorescent and intrinsic contrasts. We aim to develop a system for mesoscopic imaging of two fluorescent and two reflectance channels. Excitation of red and green fluorescence is achieved through epi-illumination. Hemoglobin absorption imaging is achieved using 525- and 625-nm light-emitting diodes positioned around the objective lens. An aluminum hemisphere placed between objective and cranial window provides diffuse illumination of the brain. Signals are recorded sequentially by a single sCMOS detector. We demonstrate the performance of our imaging system by recording large-scale spontaneous and stimulus-evoked neuronal, cholinergic, and hemodynamic activity in awake, head-fixed mice with a curved "crystal skull" window expressing the red calcium indicator jRGECO1a and the green acetylcholine sensor . Shielding of illumination light through the aluminum hemisphere enables concurrent recording of pupil diameter changes. Our widefield microscope design with a single camera can be used to acquire multiple aspects of brain physiology and is compatible with behavioral readouts of pupil diameter.