Use of sub-renal capsule transplantation in developmental biology

Abstract

The sub-renal capsule graft site for in vivo growth and development of developing organs can be used to great advantage in the "rescue" of organ rudiments from "embryonic" or "birth" lethal mutant mice, which permits examination of the full impact of gene knockout in all phases of development from morphogenesis to adult functional differentiation. Another use of the sub-renal capsule graft site is the examination of normal and "chemically perturbed" development of human fetal organs. Tissue recombinants composed of various types of epithelium and mesenchyme, when grafted under the renal capsule undergo normal development and in 3-4 weeks achieve full adult functional cytodifferentiation. The investigator can control many of the developmental parameters of the graft such as endocrine status of the host and treatment of the host with a variety of biologically active agents to assess their effects on development and differentiation.

Keywords: Renal capsule; Transplantation.

Fig. 1

(A, C) Instruments and materials used in sub-renal capsule transplantation: small scissors, spring-loaded scissors, Dumont #5 forceps, wound clips and sutures. (B) A “drown out” fire polished Pasteur pipette used to make the pocket between the renal capsule and the underlying renal parenchyma.

Fig. 2

The mid-dorsal incision in the skin. (A) Depicts the position and length of the skin incision (yellow line), which is carried out in (B).

Fig. 3

Illustration of the steps in sub-renal capsule transplantation. Blunt dissection by “opening” of the scissors to separate the skin from the underlying body wall (A & B). Incision through the muscular body wall overlying the kidney (C). Exteriorization of the kidney by applying pressure on the animal's body using the forefinger and thumb (D). The exteriorized kidney remains in place as a result of tucking the cut edge of the skin under the kidney (E). After the initial hole is made in the delicate capsule, a pocket is created and enlarged using the fire-polished pipette (F). Insertion of the graft into the pocket by lifting the edge of the renal capsule and pushing the graft into place with forceps or the fire-polished pipette (G). After return of the kidney into the peritoneal cavity, the skin incision is closed with wound clips or with sutures (H). Suturing of the renal capsule and body wall incision is not necessary.