Background and objective. The continuous observation in experimental animal
s of internal organs and processes, such as wound healing and angiogenesis,
has been achieved using a variety of transparent windows and chambers. Our
objective was to develop procedures for these observations using disposabl
e material for the window and simple surgical techniques.
Methods. For observation of wound healing in the mouse kidney, the kidney w
as externalized and a wedge was excised. An oval window of polyvinyl chlori
de film was sutured in place in the skin over the wound. The progress of he
aling of the wound was observed through the window over 10 days. For observ
ation of angiogenesis, adrenocortical cells were transplanted beneath fasci
a and muscle and a window was sewn into the skin above the site of transpla
ntation.
Results. Clear observations could be made using these cutaneous windows ove
r the period of the experiments. Healing of a wound in the kidney was photo
graphed and measured. The growth of new blood vessels over the site of adre
nocortical cell transplantation was observed.
Conclusions. Continuous in vivo observations of organs such as the kidney a
nd processes such as angiogenesis can be made in experimental animals using
this simple technique, (C) 2000 Academic Press.