A Mouse Aortic Interposition Model to Study Alloimmune-Induced Vascular Rejection

Prepare an anesthetized donor mouse and place it in a supine position. Make a midline incision to expose the abdominal cavity.

Externalize the intestine to locate the infrarenal abdominal aorta or IAA beneath the renal arteries, carrying oxygenated blood.

Separate the IAA from the adjacent inferior vena cava, which carries deoxygenated blood.

Ligate the small branches near the IAA and clamp the IAA to obstruct blood flow.

Resect a segment of appropriate length and place it in saline.

Repeat the procedure with a recipient mouse of a different genetic background.

Implant the donor IAA within the recipient, matching its anatomical orientation.

Perform end-to-end anastomoses by suturing the donor graft ends to the recipient ends.

Release the clamps and check for normal blood flow without leakage. Return the intestine to the abdominal cavity. Next, suture the incision site.

The model is now ready to study immune responses against the transplanted IAA graft.