Modified technique for kidney transplantation in mice

This study describes a new method for joining the donor ureter to the recip ient bladder during mouse kidney transplantation. The donor left kidney was harvested using methods previously published, except that bladder tissue w as not harvested with the end of the ureter, The recipient left kidney was removed and the donor kidney was attached using end-to-side anastomosis. Th e recipient bladder was pierced with a 21-gauge needle allowing curved forc eps to be inserted through the bladder, to pull through the ureter, and the periuretal tissue was stitched to the exterior wall of the bladder. The do nor ureter was allowed to retract inside the bladder. Following a right nep hrectomy, grafts were monitored by blood serum creatinine and urea. With a technical success rate of 83%, this technique reduced donor harvest time by 20 minutes and ureter attachment time by 15 minutes making it the best met hod available for mouse kidney transplantation. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.