Abstract:

Objective To improve the method of mouse abdominal heterotopic cardiac transplantation and to increase the success rate. Methods Fifty pairs of C57BL/6→C57BL/6 mouse and 50 pairs of BABL/c→C57BL/6 mouse were selected. Cardiac transplantations were performed for syngenic mice and allogeneic mice. The dissection of the aorta artery and pulmonary artery of donors was minimized to decrease the damage and bleeding. The inferior vena cava (IVC) and abdominal aorta of recipients were clamped by proper clamps. It was unnecessary to dissect the IVC and abdominal aorta and ligate their lumber vessels. The length of venotomy and aortotomy of recipients was the same as the opening of the pulmonary artery and ascending aorta of donors or a little bit shorter. Continuous stitches were performed for a single exposure position and the suture needle was unnecessary to go through the opposite side. Heart grafts were harvested and stained with H-E 30 d after the operation. The structural changes of cardiac tissues were observed by the optical microscope. Results The success rate was 95%. The operation time of the donor and recipient was (6.5±1.3) min and (23.7±4.5) min, respectively, of which the anastomosis time of the artery and vein was (7.6±1.3) min and (8.3±1.7) min. The average survival time of heart grafts of allogeneic transplantations was (8.1±0.75) d. All heart grafts of syngenic transplantations survived 30 d after the operation.The structure of heart grafts of syngenic transplantations was normal and the structure of heart grafts of allogeneic transplantations was destroyed with lytic necrosis and lymph cell infiltration. Conclusion The improvement of the method of mouse abdominal heterotopic cardiac transplantation can increase the success rate. It is easy to learn and grasp and is worth promotion and adoption.

Key words: cardiac transplantation, animal model, mouse