Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry of the mouse dural meninges for immunological and virological assessments

The highly vascularized meninges protect the surface of the central nervous system and contain a dense network of immune cells controlling neuroinfection and neuroinflammation. Here, we present techniques for the immunological and virological assessment of mouse dural meninges. We describe steps for immunophenotyping including meninges extraction and digestion, immunostaining, and flow cytometry. We then describe viral assessment upon lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection including steps for fixation of the meninges in the skull, whole mount immunohistochemistry, and confocal imaging. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Rebejac et al. (2022).1