To begin, make a small incision on the dorsal midline of the mouse carcass near the base of the tail. Extend the incision across each hind limb and gently pull to remove the pelt from the base of the tail toward the head of the animal. Cut the abdominal wall musculature away until the vertebral column becomes easily visible.
Under a dissecting microscope, identify the two sacroiliac joints and locate the cranial end of the sacrum. Using a razor blade or scalpel, make a precise cut to separate the last lumbar vertebrae from the cranial end of the sacrum. Again, cut between the intervertebral space.
Remove L six and L five from the vertebral column and set aside L five for analysis. Inspect the vertebra under a dissecting microscope and remove all soft tissues from the bone, including the intervertebral disc using gauze pads and gently with forceps where necessary.
