Renal Capsule Tumor Xenografting: A Technique to Generate an Experimental Animal Model to Evaluate Prostate Carcinogenesis

In renal capsule tumor xenografting, small pieces of cancerous tissue from a donor organism are implanted into the kidney of an immunodeficient recipient animal belonging to a different species.

To begin, prep an immunocompromised anesthetized mouse in the prone position. Make a small dorsal midline incision and gently separate the skin from the underlying muscle wall.

Shift the mouse to the lateral position. Pull the separated skin to locate the kidney by viewing the renal profile through the muscle wall. Make a minor incision in the muscle wall to expose the body cavity. Widen the incision to exteriorize the kidney.

Now, make a small incision in the kidney capsule or the thin membranous outer covering of the kidney. Using a round-edged glass pipette, open a small pocket through the cut edge of the kidney capsule. Insert the prostate tissue graft into the pocket.

Gently push the kidney back into the body cavity. Suture the wound and allow the mouse to recover. Monitor the animal regularly to observe the xenograft.

The highly vascularized microenvironment of the renal tissue ensures a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, favoring the successful engraftment and growth of the tumor mass eventually.