Name: intrasplenic transplantation of hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in nod.scid mice
Uploaded: 2018-02-10T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Intrasplenic Transplantation of Hepatocytes After Partial Hepatectomy in NOD.SCID Mice at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the core grant received from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India to the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. Dr. Bhattacharjee&#39;s current address is Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children&#39;s Hospital Los Angeles.

Procedures presented in this protocol have been approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. The serial reference number of the approval is IAEC#319/13. 
Note: There are excellent resources on general surgery procedures20 and specific protocols for rodent surgery21. For those doing animal surgery for the first time, it is recommended to extensively practice surgical procedures ...

<ol>
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Partial hepatectomy is an established technique for investigating liver regeneration, and excessive hepatectomy is reported to mimic the AHF model. Among animal models of AHF, rodents, particularly mice, are the most researched model. To obtain a liver injury model in mice, up to a 70% hepatectomy has been reported with a good survival rate25,26. However in nude and other immunodeficient mouse, a 70% hepatectomy was reported as fatal and animals died within 24 ho...

Currently, hepatocyte transplantation is proposed as an alternative to whole organ transplantation for treating patients having severe liver disorders. It is believed that it can bridge patients to whole organ transplantation1. In addition to the allogenic hepatocytes2, xenogenic hepatocytes3 and hepatocytes derived from stem cells4 are also being investigated in animal models. In this context, the homing and engraftment potential of the transplanted cells in the recipient is an important criterion for cell based therapy in acute hepatic failure (AHF).
For investigating the transplantation of hepatocytes or hepatocyte-like cells5, AHF is created in an animal model either by surgical6 or pharmacological7 procedures, followed by transplanting cells. To make an AHF animal model by pharmacological reagents, many hepatotoxins such as d-galactosamine8, acetaminophen9, carbon tetrachloride10, thioacetamide11, Concanavalin A12, lipopolysaccharide13, etc., have been used. From this list, every reagent generates a unique set of features for AHF, but unfortunately no single reagent mimics the human AHF. Moreover, the AHF induced by hepatotoxins takes a long time, which puts animals under chronic stress, and reproducible results are difficult to obtain.
On the other hand, the surgical procedure of partial hepatectomy (PHx) is skill dependent, and reproducible results are easy to obtain after developing required skills. To induce AHF by surgical intervention alone, resection of more than 70% of the liver is required; however, less than a 70% hepatectomy can still be utilized to study engraftment and proliferation of transplanted cells in the liver for analyzing their therapeutic capacity during liver damage14. The transplantation of hepatocytes have been performed post hepatectomy through the peritoneum15, tail vein16, hepatic vein17, or the spleen18. Currently, hepatic vein infusion and intrasplenic transplantation of hepatocytes are the preferred procedures, as they are easier to reproduce.
In this paper, we have described a procedure for a 30% partial hepatectomy in NOD.SCID (NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J) mice in which the left lobe of the liver is excised. It is followed by transplantation of 0.2 million GFP expressing mouse (C57BL/6-Tg (UBC-GFP) 30Scha/J) hepatocytes as well as human origin NeoHep19 in the spleen. This procedure leads to engraftment of the transplanted cells in the liver. This procedure is the least invasive and a minimally painful technique.

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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Gas Anesthesia System</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Ugo Basile; Italy</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">211000</td>
			<td style="width:217px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Weighing machine</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Goldtech ; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Biological safety cabinet ( Class I)</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Kartos international;&#160; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Hair Trimmer</td>
			<td>Panasonic ;&#160; Japan&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ER-GY10&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Straight operating scissor with sharp /sharp blades</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Major Surgicals; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Forceps with Serrations</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Major Surgicals; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Micro needle holders&#160; straight &#38; curved&#160;</td>
			<td>Mercian ;&#160; England&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BS-13-8</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">1 ml insulin syringe with 30G *5/16 needles&#160;</td>
			<td>Dispo Van; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">1 ml syringe with 26 G * 1/2 needle</td>
			<td>BD ; US&#160;</td>
			<td>REF 303060</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Nylon Threads&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Mighty ; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>(1-0) Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">MERSUTURES 4-0 Sterilised Surgical Needled Suture</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Ethicon, Johnson &#38; Johnson, India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">NW 5047</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">TRUGUT 76 cm 4-0 absorbable surgical suture</td>
			<td>Sutures India Pvt. Ltd; India</td>
			<td>SN 5048</td>
			<td>Sterilised Surgical Needled Suture Catgut Chromic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Cotton Buds</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Pure Swabs Pvt Ltd ;&#160; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Local Procurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Surgical Tape</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">3M India ; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">1530-1</td>
			<td>Micropore Surgical Tape</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Microtome</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Histo-Line Laboratories, Italy</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MRS3500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Shandon Cryotome E Cryostat</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Thermo Electron Corporation ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Confocal laser scanning microscope</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Carl Zeiss ; Germany&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">LSM 510 META</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Bright Field Microscope</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Olympus, Japan</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">LX51</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Automated analyser</td>
			<td>Tulip, Alto Santracruz, India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Screen Maaster 3000</td>
			<td>Biochemical analyser for liver functional test</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Flow Cytometer</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">BD ; US&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BD FACSverse</td>
			<td>Assesment of presence of cells post transplantation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Veet hair removal cream&#160;</td>
			<td>Reckitt Benckiser , India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">FORANE</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Abbott ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>isoflurane USP 99.9%&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Taxim</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">AlKem ; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>cefotaxime sodium injection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Povidone-Iodine solution&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Win-Medicare;&#160; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Betadine</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Himedia; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">GRM 3660</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Iscove&#39;s Modified Dulbecco&#39;s Medium (IMDM)</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Life technologies, Thermo Fisher scientific ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12200-036</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Sucrose</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sigma ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S0389</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Tissue-Tek</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sakura; US</td>
			<td>25608-930</td>
			<td>O.C.T compound</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">DAPI</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Himedia; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MB 097</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">anti-Albumin goat Polyclonal</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Thermo Scientific,Pierce, US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">PA126081</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">anti-connexin 32/GJB1 Polyclonal</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">abcam, UK</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ab64609-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">antiGFP rabbit polyclonal&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Santa Cruz biotechnology; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SC 8334</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Alexa Fluor 594 donkey anti-goat</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">&#160;Molecular Probes , Thermo Fisher Scientific ;&#160; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A11058</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Alexa Fluor 488 donkey anti-sheep</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">&#160;Molecular Probes , Thermo Fisher Scientific ;&#160; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A11015</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Alexa Fluor 594 chicken anti rabbit</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">&#160;Molecular Probes , Thermo Fisher Scientific ;&#160; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A21442</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:411px;">Goat anti rabbit IgG HRP</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Invitrogen, Thermo Fisher Scientific; US&#160;</td>
			<td>65-6120</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">anti-Ki67 antibody</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">abcam, UK</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ab15580</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Antigen Unmasking Solution, Citric acid base</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Vector laboratories, US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">H-3300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;">ProLong Diamond antifade mountant</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Life technologies, Thermo Fisher scientific ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">P36966</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">SGOT (ASAT) KIT</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Coral Clinical System, India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">SGPT (ALAT) KIT</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Coral Clinical System, India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Alkaline Phosphatase Kit (DEA)</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Coral Clinical System, India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Hematoxylin Solution, Mayer&#39;s</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sigma ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MHS16</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Eosin Y solution, alcoholic</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sigma ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">HT110132</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">DPX Mountant&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sigma ; US</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:119px;">6522</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">Melonex (Pain Killer)</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd; India</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Meloxicam injection&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:411px;">DAB enhanced liquid substrate system tetrahydrochloride</td>
			<td style="width:255px;">Sigma ; US</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D3939</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

intrasplenic transplantation of hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in nod.scid mice

Partial hepatectomy is a versatile and reproducible method to study liver regeneration and the effect of cell based therapeutics in various pathological conditions. Partial hepatectomy also facilitates the increased engraftment and proliferation of transplanted cells by accelerating neovascularization and cell migration towards the liver. Here, we describe a simple protocol for performing 30% hepatectomy and transplantation of cells in the spleen of a non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient NOD.SCID (NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J) mouse. 
In this procedure, two small incisions are made. The first incision is to expose and resect the left lobe of the liver, and another small incision is made to expose the spleen for the intrasplenic transplantation of cells. This procedure does not require any specialized surgical skills, and it can be completed in 5-7 minutes with less stress and pain, faster recovery, and better survival. We have demonstrated the transplantation of hepatocytes isolated from a green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressing mouse (Transgenic C57BL/6-Tg (UBC-GFP) 30Scha/J), as well as hepatocyte like cells of human origin (NeoHep) in partially hepatectomized NOD.SCID mice.

Hepatocyte proliferation after 30% partial hepatectomy: The proliferation of hepatocytes in the remaining liver after 30% hepatectomy was examined by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for a cell proliferation marker, Ki-67. One-day post hepatectomy, the mice were euthanized, the remaining liver lobes were excised, and paraffin sections were obtained. The sections were stained with Ki-67 antibody, followed by labelling with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated secondary antibody. Di-Amino Benzidine (D...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Intrasplenic Transplantation of Hepatocytes After Partial Hepatectomy in NOD.SCID Mice at JoVE.com

Intrasplenic Transplantation of Hepatocytes After Partial Hepatectomy in NOD.SCID Mice

We have described a protocol for performing partial hepatectomy (PHx) and cell transplantation via spleen in NOD.SCID (NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J) mice. In this protocol, an incision is made to expose and resect the left lobe of the liver followed by another incision for the intrasplenic transplantation of cells.

Partial hepatectomy is a versatile and reproducible method to study liver regeneration and the effect of cell based therapeutics in various pathological ...

For treating patients having acute hepatic failure hepatocyte transplantation is an alternative to whole organ transplantation. Partial hepatectomy is used as a technique for creating AHF. Besides it is also utilized to investigate cell engraftment and proliferation during cell based therapy.Mouse is one of the most researched models for performing hepatectomy for such objectives. In this video we will show a procedure for partial hepatectomy followed by transplantation of hepatocytes in the spleen of a NOD. SCID mouse.Before you begin make sure that you have necessary approval from appropriate animal ethics committee for performing the experiment. In this procedure we will make two small incisions. The first incision is for partial liver hepatectomy which will be around one centimeter long made just below the xiphoid to expose the liver.For transplanting cells another smaller incision is made on the left lateral portion to expose the spleen of the animal. The advantages are that it leads to less trauma and pain to the animal faster recovery and nearly hundred percent survival. Moreover this procedure does not require any specialized surgical skills and can be completed quickly in five to seven minutes.In this video we will demonstrate the transplantation of hepatocyte like cells called as NeoHep and hepatocytes isolated from a transgenic GFP mouse in a partially hepatectomized NOD. SCID mouse. The procedure does not restrict the type of cells for transplantation.All surgical tools and PBS were duly autocleaned and kept ready prior to surgery. Weigh the mouse.NOD. SCID mouse of six to eight week age weighing between fourteen to eighteen grams are included in this procedure.Shave the central, upper, and left portion of the mouse abdomen. In order to remove trimmed hair, apply hair removing cream over the shaved region. Wait for four to five minutes and gently remove the hair.Unlock the oxygen cylinder valve. Place the mouse in the Isoflurane chamber. Adjust the oxygen flow at four liter per minute.Adjust the isoflurane vaporization at four percent for inducing the anesthesia. Ensure that the mouse has been anesthetized properly by gentle toe pinching. Place a surgery board inside a biosafety cabinet.Place the animal on the surgery board such that the ventral portion of the mouse is facing up and anterior portion of the mouse is placed inside the nose cone connected to the Isoflurane and oxygen supply. Reduce the Isoflurane vaporization to two percent for maintaining the anesthesia. Disinfect the skin by wiping it with sterile cotton soaked in seventy percent ethanol.Make a transverse incision of around one centimeter in the skin just below the sternum perpendicular to xiphoid parallel to ribcage. Gently separate the skin and peritoneum near the incision. Make a transverse incision through the peritoneal layer just below the xiphoid to expose the left lobe of the liver.Two moistened cotton tip swill be used. Place one of the cotton tips on the abdominal side of the cut and place another cotton tip on the diaphragm side. Now gently press the tip placed towards the diaphragm and give a sliding push by the other tip to lift the left lobe of the liver.Place a loop of silk thread on the base of the left lateral lobe close to the liver hilum using the micro-dissecting forceps. After slightly closing the knot, slide the silk thread as much possible to the base of the liver lobe. Tighten the knot and place two additional knots on the other side.Cut the tied lobe using a microsurgery scissor. This image shows remaining part of the left lobe after resection. Sew the peritoneum by continuous suturing with a four zero Catgut absorbable suture.Close the skin by discontinuous or interrupted suturing using the same four zero Catgut absorbable suture. Apply Betadine in the vicinity of sutures. Keep the hepatocytes or NeoHep suspended in fifty micro-liter IMDM ready in a one ML insulin syringe with twenty-nine gauge needle.Place the mouse such that the left lateral portion would face up. Identify the spleen region and transversely dissect the skin. Make a two to three millimeter cut in the peritoneal layer to expose the spleen.Place the spleen between two moist cotton tips and gently lift it. Pierce the needle in the spleen cortex gently and release the cell suspension into the spleen. Close the peritoneum by continuous suturing with a four zero suture and close the skin by discontinuous suturing.Apply Betadine on sutures. Inject hundred micro liter saline intraperitoneally containing twelve milligram antibiotic Cefotaxime. Inject hundred micro liter saline intraperitoneally containing twelve micro gram of analgesic Meloxicam.This is to be given daily for three days post-surgery. Close the isoflurane vaporizer and place the mouse in the cage. The animal will gain consciousness within seconds.The proliferation of hepatocytes in the liver post twenty-four hours of thirty percent hepatectomy was examined by immunohistochemical staining of liver sections with Ki-67 which is a cell proliferation marker. After staining these sections with anti-Ki-67 horseradish peroxidase conjugated secondary antibody was used for detection and Di-Amino Benzadine was used as substrate to develop brown color. The nucleus was counter stained with hematoxylin.In this image brown colored cells are Ki-67 positive proliferating hepatocytes. Ten days post transplantation the mouse was euthanized and the liver was examined. A representative image is shown here.From the regenerated liver the right lateral lobe the right medial lobe and the left medial lobes were excised and five micron sections were obtained. These sections were stained with primary rabbit polyclonal anti-GFP and secondary anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor 594 antibodies. The nucleus was counterstained with DAPI.This image shows the homing of hepatocytes expressing green fluorescent protein which is visible as red. When hepatocyte like cells of human origin called NeoHep were transplanted, we observed the expression of human Albumin and human Connexin 32 in the liver sections of recipient hepatectomized mouse. Ten days post surgery the biochemical analysis of liver secreted ensymes in serum confirmed that the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amintransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were restored to normal.Similarly the histological examination of liver sections by haematoxylin and eosin staining showed no abnormalities ten days post-surgery indicating proper recovery of the liver. It is important to take a few precautions. Try to place the knot of nylon thread at the base of the liver lobe.Do not forget to make two additional tight knots in the opposite side and do not attempt to cut very close to the thread. For transplanting cells into the spleen, pierce the needle exactly vertical and it should not go deeper than two millimeters. For closing skin avoid using wound clips.Instead close it by a four zero suture. Wound clips restrict the natural movement of the mouse and often clips become loose and come out within no time. After placing the animal back into the cage, you may place a few pieces of sterile corn flakes in the cage and provide sterile water having five percent glucose.If you have no earlier exposure to animal surgery, practice separately the partial liver hepatectomy and transplantation in normal immuno-competent mice and then perform both the procedutes in a single animal. Perform the procedures in immunodeficient NOD. SCID mouse, only after attaining hundred percent survival rate in immuno-competent mice.

intrasplenic-transplantation-hepatocytes-after-partial-hepatectomy

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Surgical Procedures for a Rat Model of Partial Orthotopic Liver Transplantation with Hepatic Arterial Reconstruction

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats using a whole or partial graft is an indispensable experimental model for transplantation research, such as studies on graft preservation and ischemia-reperfusion injury 1,2, immunological responses 3,4, hemodynamics 5,6, and small-for-size syndrome 7. The rat OLT is among the most difficult animal models in experimental surgery and demands advanced microsurgical skills that take a long time to learn. Consequently, the use of this model has been limited. Since the reliability and reproducibility of results are key components of the experiments in which such complex animal models are used, it is essential for surgeons who are involved in rat OLT to be trained in well-standardized and sophisticated procedures for this model.
While various techniques and modifications of OLT in rats have been reported 8 since the first model was described by Lee et al. 9 in 1973, the elimination of the hepatic arterial reconstruction 10 and the introduction of the cuff anastomosis technique by Kamada et al. 11 were a major advancement in this model, because they simplified the reconstruction procedures to a great degree. In the model by Kamada et al., the hepatic rearterialization was also eliminated. Since rats could survive without hepatic arterial flow after liver transplantation, there was considerable controversy over the value of hepatic arterialization. However, the physiological superiority of the arterialized model has been increasingly acknowledged, especially in terms of preserving the bile duct system 8,12 and the liver integrity 8,13,14.
In this article, we present detailed surgical procedures for a rat model of OLT with hepatic arterial reconstruction using a 50% partial graft after ex vivo liver resection. The reconstruction procedures for each vessel and the bile duct are performed by the following methods: a 7-0 polypropylene continuous suture for the supra- and infrahepatic vena cava; a cuff technique for the portal vein; and a stent technique for the hepatic artery and the bile duct.

Orthotopic liver transplantation in rats is an indispensable experimental model for biomedical research. Here we present our surgical procedures for orthotopic rat liver transplantation with hepatic arterial reconstruction using a 50% partial graft.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats using a whole or partial graft is an indispensable experimental model for transplantation research, such as ...

Heterotopic Cervical Heart Transplantation in Mice

The heterotopic cervical heart transplantation in mice is a valuable tool in transplant and cardiovascular research. The cuff technique greatly simplifies this model by avoiding challenging suture anastomoses of small vessels thereby reducing warm ischemia time. In comparison to abdominal graft implantation the cervical model is less invasive and the implanted graft is easily accessible for further follow-up examinations. Anastomoses are performed by pulling the ascending aorta of the graft over the cuff with the recipient&#8217;s common carotid artery and by pulling the main pulmonary artery over the cuff with the external jugular vein. Selection of appropriate cuff size and complete mobilization of the vessels are important for successful revascularization. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury can be minimized by perfusing the graft with a cardioplegic solution and by hypothermia. In this article, we provide technical details for a simplified and improved cuff technique, which should allow surgeons with basic microsurgical skills to perform the procedure with a high success rate.

The cuff technique shortens and facilitates the model of heterotopic cervical heart transplantation in mice by avoiding technically challenging suture anastomoses of small vessels. The technical details shown in this video paper should allow researches to establish this model in their laboratories.

The heterotopic cervical heart transplantation in mice is a valuable tool in transplant and cardiovascular research. The cuff technique greatly simplifies ...

Visualization of Vascular and Parenchymal Regeneration after 70% Partial Hepatectomy in Normal Mice

A modified silicone injection procedure was used for visualization of the hepatic vascular tree. This procedure consisted of in-vivo injection of the silicone compound, via a 26 G catheter, into the portal or hepatic vein. After silicone injection, organs were explanted and prepared for ex-vivo micro-CT (&#181;CT) scanning. The silicone injection procedure is technically challenging. Achieving a successful outcome requires extensive microsurgical experience from the surgeon. One of the challenges of this procedure involves determining the adequate perfusion rate for the silicone compound. The perfusion rate for the silicone compound needs to be defined based on the hemodynamic of the vascular system of interest. Inappropriate perfusion rate can lead to an incomplete perfusion, artificial dilation and rupturing of vascular trees.
The 3D reconstruction of the vascular system was based on CT scans and was achieved using preclinical software such as HepaVision. The quality of the reconstructed vascular tree was directly related to the quality of silicone perfusion. Subsequently computed vascular parameters indicative of vascular growth, such as total vascular volume, were calculated based on the vascular reconstructions. Contrasting the vascular tree with silicone allowed for subsequent histological work-up of the specimen after &#181;CT scanning. The specimen can be subjected to serial sectioning, histological analysis and whole slide scanning, and thereafter to 3D reconstruction of the vascular trees based on histological images. This is the prerequisite for the detection of molecular events and their distribution with respect to the vascular tree. This modified silicone injection procedure can also be used to visualize and reconstruct the vascular systems of other organs. This technique has the potential to be extensively applied to studies concerning vascular anatomy and growth in various animal and disease models.

Tools used for visualizing vascular regeneration require methods for contrasting the vascular trees. This film demonstrated a delicate injection technique used to achieve optimal contrasting of the vascular trees and illustrate the potential benefits resulting from a detailed analysis of the resulting specimen using &#181;CT and histological serial sections.

A modified silicone injection procedure was used for visualization of the hepatic vascular tree. This procedure consisted of in-vivo injection of the ...

Re-Arterialized Rat Partial Liver Transplantation with an in vivo Vessel-Oriented 70% Hepatectomy

Split liver transplantation and living liver donor liver transplantation were developed in the clinic to utilize liver organs in a more efficient manner. To better understand the mechanism behind these surgical procedures, a rat partial liver transplantation (PLTx) model was established for relevant surgical studies. Because of the complexity of the rat PLTx model, a protocol with detailed descriptions is required. An article published previously reported a protocol in which ex vivo hepatectomy was used to achieve 50% rat PLTx. In contrast to this protocol, we introduced a re-arterialized PLTx with an in vivo 70% hepatectomy. An updated vessel-oriented hepatectomy was incorporated into the rat PLTx to refine the microsurgical procedure. The portal veins and hepatic arteries of the left lateral lobe and the median lobe were individually dissected and ligated before removal of the liver parenchyma, thereby decreasing the probability of bleeding in the remnant liver stump. Furthermore, an end-to-side vessel anastomosis between the common hepatic artery and the enlarged proper hepatic artery was introduced to re-arterialize the hepatic artery. By using this end-to-side vessel anastomosis technique, the diameter of the anastomosis was enlarged, thereby decreasing the difficulty of hand suture and maintaining a high rate of anastomotic patency. Moreover, the cuff anastomosis of the infrahepatic vena cava was slightly modified. A section of circumferential liver parenchyma around the vena cava of a recipient was preserved during cuff anastomosis to maintain the three-dimensional shape of the vascular lumen. This section of liver parenchyma was removed after completing the anastomosis. With this modification, the step involving placement of stay sutures was omitted, thereby further shortening the cuff anastomosis time. By using this protocol of rat PLTx, a low liver enzyme level, an intact liver lobular architecture and a high survival rate were achieved after microsurgery.

Re-Arterialized Rat Partial Liver Transplantation with an in vivo Vessel-Oriented 70% Hepatectomy

Here, a protocol involving re-arterialized rat partial liver transplantation is presented. Specifically, 70% liver was resected in vivo by using an updated technique of vessel-oriented hepatectomy. The hepatic artery was reconstructed in an end-to-side manner. The cuff technique was modified to shorten the anastomosis time of the infrahepatic vena cava.

Split liver transplantation and living liver donor liver transplantation were developed in the clinic to utilize liver organs in a more efficient manner. ...

Transplantation of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Sheet to Reduce Leakage After Partial Colectomy in A Rat Model

Anastomotic leakage is a disastrous complication after colorectal surgery. Although current methods for leakage prevention have different levels of clinical efficacy, they are until now imperfect solutions. Stem cell therapy using ASC sheets could provide a solution to this problem. ASCs are considered as promising candidates for promoting tissue healing because of their trophic and immunomodulatory properties. Here, we provide methods to produce high-density ASC sheets, that are transplanted onto a colorectal anastomosis in a rat model to reduce the leakage. ASCs formed cell sheets in thermo-responsive culture dishes that could be easily detached. On the day of the transplantation, a partial colectomy with a 5-suture colorectal anastomosis was performed. Animals were immediately transplanted with 1 ASC sheet per rat. ASC sheets adhered spontaneously to the anastomosis without any glue, suture, or any biomaterial. Animal groups were sacrificed 3 and 7 days postoperatively. Compared to transplanted animals, the incidence of anastomotic abscesses and leakage was higher in control animals. In our model, the transplantation of ASC sheets after colorectal anastomosis was successful and associated with a lower leakage rate.

The preparation and transplantation of adipose tissue derived stem cell (ASC) sheets onto insufficiently sutured colorectal anastomoses in a rat model is presented. This novel application shows that ASC sheets can reduce colorectal anastomosis leakage.

Anastomotic leakage is a disastrous complication after colorectal surgery. Although current methods for leakage prevention have different levels of ...

Lentiviral Vector-mediated Gene Therapy of Hepatocytes Ex Vivo for Autologous Transplantation in Swine

Gene therapy is an ideal choice to cure many inborn errors of metabolism of the liver. Ex-vivo, lentiviral vectors have been used successfully in the treatment of many hematopoietic diseases in humans, as their use offers stable transgene expression due to the vector&#39;s ability to integrate into the host genome. This method demonstrates the application of ex vivo gene therapy of hepatocytes to a large animal model of hereditary tyrosinemia type I. This process consists of 1) isolation of primary hepatocytes from the autologous donor/recipient animal, 2) ex vivo gene delivery via hepatocyte transduction with a lentiviral vector, and 3) autologous transplant of corrected hepatocytes via portal vein injection. Success of the method generally relies upon efficient and sterile removal of the liver resection, careful handling of the excised specimen for isolation of viable hepatocytes sufficient for re-engrafting, high-percentage transduction of the isolated cells, and aseptic surgical procedures throughout to prevent infection. Technical failure at any of these steps will result in low yield of viable transduced hepatocytes for autologous transplant or infection of the donor/recipient animal. The pig model of human type 1 hereditary tyrosinemia (HT-1) chosen for this approach is uniquely amenable to such a method, as even a small percentage of engraftment of corrected cells will lead to repopulation of the liver with healthy cells based on a powerful selective advantage over native-diseased hepatocytes. Although this growth selection will not be true for all indications, this approach is a foundation for expansion into other indications and allows for manipulation of this environment to address additional diseases, both within the liver and beyond, while controlling for exposure to viral vector and opportunity for off-target toxicity and tumorigenicity.

Lentiviral Vector-mediated Gene Therapy of Hepatocytes Ex Vivo for Autologous Transplantation in Swine

This protocol is intended to describe porcine hepatocyte isolation and ex vivo gene delivery to cure models of metabolic diseases via autologous cell transplantation. Although this particular model enjoys unique advantages that favor successful therapy, the application is a relevant foundation to address additional diseases and indications.

Gene therapy is an ideal choice to cure many inborn errors of metabolism of the liver. Ex-vivo, lentiviral vectors have been used successfully in the ...

Generation of a Rat Model of Acute Liver Failure by Combining 70% Partial Hepatectomy and Acetaminophen

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a clinical condition caused by various etiologies resulting in the loss of metabolic, biochemical, synthesizing, and detoxifying functions of the liver. In most irreversible liver damage cases, orthotropic liver transplant (OLT) remains the only available treatment. To study the therapeutic potential of a treatment for ALF, its prior testing in an animal model of ALF is essential. In the current study, an ALF model in rats was developed by combining 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) and injections of acetaminophen (APAP) that provides a therapeutic window of 48 h. The median and left lateral lobes of the liver were removed to excise 70% of the liver mass and APAP was given 24 h postsurgically for 2 days. Survival in ALF-induced animals was found to be severely decreased. The development of ALF was confirmed by altered serum levels of the enzymes alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP); changes in prothrombin time (PT); and assessment of the international normalized ratio (INR). Study of the gene expression profile by qPCR revealed an increase in expression levels of genes involved in apoptosis, inflammation, and in the progression of liver injury. Diffused degeneration of hepatocytes and infiltration of immune cells was observed by histological evaluation. The reversibility of ALF was confirmed by the restoration of survival and serum levels of ALT, AST, and ALP after intrasplenic transplantation of syngeneic healthy rat hepatocytes. This model presents a reliable alternative to the available ALF animal models to study the pathophysiology of ALF as well as to evaluate the potential of a novel therapy for ALF. The use of two different approaches also makes it possible to study the combined effect of physical and drug-induced liver injury. The reproducibility and feasibility of current procedure is an added benefit of the model.

The acute liver failure animal model developed in the current study presents a feasible alternative for the study of potential therapies. The current model employs the combined effect of physical and drug-induced hepatic injury and provides a suitable time window to study the potential of novel therapies.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a clinical condition caused by various etiologies resulting in the loss of metabolic, biochemical, synthesizing, and ...

Reduced Complications after Arterial Reconnection in a Rat Model of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

The rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) model is a powerful tool to study acute and chronic rejection. However, it is not a complete representation of human liver transplantation due to the absence of arterial reconnection. Described here is a modified transplantation procedure that includes the incorporation of hepatic artery (HA) reconnection, leading to a marked improvement in transplant outcomes. With a mean anhepatic time of 12 min and 14 s, HA reconnection results in improved perfusion of the transplanted liver and an increase in long-term recipient survival from 37.5% to 88.2%. This protocol includes the use of 3D-printed cuffs and holders to connect the portal vein and infrahepatic inferior vena cava. It can be implemented for studying multiple aspects of liver transplantation, from immune response and infection to technical aspects of the procedure. By incorporating a simple and practical method for arterial reconnection using a microvascular technique, this modified rat OLT protocol closely mimics aspects of human liver transplantation and will serve as a valuable and clinically relevant research model.

The goal of this study is to modify the rat orthotopic liver transplant model to better represent human liver transplantation and improve recipient survival. The presented method reestablishes hepatic arterial inflow by connecting the donor liver&#39;s common hepatic artery to the recipient liver&#39;s proper hepatic artery.

The rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) model is a powerful tool to study acute and chronic rejection. However, it is not a complete representation ...

Intramyocardial Transplantation of MSC-Loading Injectable Hydrogels after Myocardial Infarction in a Murine Model

One of the major issues facing current cardiac stem cell therapies for preventing postinfarct heart failure is the low retention and survival rates of transplanted cells within the injured myocardium, limiting their therapeutic efficacy. Recently, the use of scaffolding biomaterials has gained attention for improving and maximizing stem cell therapy. The objective of this protocol is to introduce a simple and straightforward technique to transplant bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using injectable hydroxyphenyl propionic acid (GH) hydrogels; the hydrogels are favorable as a cell delivery platform for cardiac tissue engineering applications due to their ability to be cross-linked in situ and high biocompatibility. We present a simple method to fabricate MSC-loading GH hydrogels (MSC/hydrogels) and evaluate their survival and proliferation in three-dimensional (3D) in vitro culture. In addition, we demonstrate a technique for intramyocardial transplantation of MSC/hydrogels in mice, describing a surgical procedure to induce myocardial infarction (MI) via left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation and subsequent MSC/hydrogels transplantation.

Stem cell-based therapy has emerged as an efficient strategy to repair injured cardiac tissues after myocardial infarction. We provide an optimal in vivo application for stem cell transplantation using gelatin hydrogels that are able to be enzymatically cross-linked.

One of the major issues facing current cardiac stem cell therapies for preventing postinfarct heart failure is the low retention and survival rates of ...

Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform

The MACCS (Medical Assistant for Chronic Care Service) platform enables secure sharing of key medical information between patients after kidney transplantation and physicians. Patients provide information such as vital signs, well-being, and medication intake via smartphone apps. The information is transferred directly into a database and electronic health record at the kidney transplant center, which is used for routine patient care and research. Physicians can send an updated medication plan and laboratory data directly to the patient app via this secure platform. Other features of the app are medical messages and video consultations. Consequently, the patient is better-informed, and self-management is facilitated. In addition, the transplant center and the patient's local nephrologist automatically exchange notes, medical reports, laboratory values, and medication data via the platform. A telemedicine team reviews all incoming data on a dashboard and takes action, if necessary. Tools to identify patients at risk for complications are under development. The platform exchanges data via a standardized secure interface (Health Level 7 (HL7), Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)). The standardized data exchange based on HL7 FHIR guarantees interoperability with other eHealth solutions and allows rapid scalability to other chronic diseases. The underlying data protection concept is in concordance with the latest European General Data Protection Regulation. Enrollment started in February 2020, and 131 kidney transplant recipients are actively participating as of July 2020. Two large German health insurance companies are currently funding the telemedicine services of the project. The deployment for other chronic kidney diseases and solid organ transplant recipients is planned. In conclusion, the platform is designed to enable home monitoring and automatic data exchange, empower patients, reduce hospitalizations, and improve adherence, and outcomes after kidney transplantation.

The MACCS platform&#160;is a comprehensive telemedicine concept aiming at better outcomes after kidney transplantation by sharing key medical information between patients and physicians. A telemedicine team reviews incoming data to detect potential complications and to improve adherence in kidney transplant recipients to achieve better long-term outcomes.