A new vascularized skin transplant model in rats

Citation
Bh. Ren et al., A new vascularized skin transplant model in rats, MICROSURG, 19(7), 1999, pp. 326-329
Citations number
6
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery
Journal title
MICROSURGERY
ISSN journal
07381085 → ACNP
Volume
19
Issue
7
Year of publication
1999
Pages
326 - 329
Database
ISI
SICI code
0738-1085(1999)19:7<326:ANVSTM>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
The aim of this work was to develop a vascularized skin transplantation mod el in the rat to allow comparison of the immunological events with those of classic free skin grafts and vascularized organ grafts. Seventy-nine synge neic transplants were performed using inbred Wistar and PVG rats to develop the model. Epigastric skin flaps were taken with a vascular pedicle of com mon femoral artery and vein and implanted on the back of the neck. The graf t vessels were anastomosed end-to-end and end-to-side to the recipient comm on carotid artery and external jugular vein with interrupted 10-0 nylon sut ures under an operating microscope. A high success rate (11 of 11) was achi eved in the final method developed, with light microscopy confirming normal skin structure in the flaps following transplantation. The advantages of t he model include comparable skin size to that commonly used for nonvascular ized skin grafts, while the physiology in terms of blood supply is similar to that of vascularized organ grafts; the grafts are visible with free acce ss for biopsy; and the size of the graft can easily be varied to allow stud ies concerning antigen load. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.