Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction Murine Model: A Surgical Procedure to Obstruct the Urinary Flow from a Kidney in Mouse Models

Unilateral ureteral obstruction, or UUO, is a surgical procedure that involves the obstruction of one of the ureters, resulting in the impairment of urine flow from the kidney. To begin, prep an anesthetized male mouse in the supine position. Next, make a surgical incision in the abdominal skin.  

Dissect the abdominal muscles and peritoneal membrane from the bladder to the lower-left edge of the ribs to expose the abdominal cavity. Gently displace the intestines to reveal the underlying left ureter.

The ureter is a narrow muscular tube that connects the bladder and the kidney and carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. There are two ureters, one connected to each kidney.

Now, surgically tie up the ureter at two regions, sufficiently apart. Cut the ureter between the two sutures to isolate the bladder from the ureter. Subsequently, place the intestines back into the abdomen and suture the incision.

Allow the mouse to recover. Within days of the procedure, obstruction of the left ureter leads to the accumulation of urine in the left kidney and results in the swelling of the kidney.