title: Heterotopic cardiac xenotransplantation in rodents: report of a refined technique in a hamster-to-rat model.
abstract: Hamster-to-rat heterotopic cardiac xenotransplantation is widely used as an experimental model to study xenograft rejection, accommodation, and tolerance, as well as in studies aimed at developing immunosuppressive strategies in xenotransplantation. Despite its widespread application, no detailed description of a surgical technique for this model has been provided in the literature. Indeed, all publications so far on the use of this species combination refer to the rat allotransplantation technique. Hence the present paper provides a detailed, up-to-date description of the surgical method adopted at our center for the hamster-to-rat heterotopic cardiac xenotransplantation model. Considerable effort went into developing a reliable, reproducible experimental model in rodents, and the description given here is enriched with "tips" that we learned in the process. The discussion of the technique also addresses several significant related issues, e.g., the anesthesia and organ preservation solution used (aspects that, in our experience, are crucial to a good surgical outcome).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. arben.dedja@unipd.it
authors.forename: Arben
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dedja
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dall'Olmo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cadrobbi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baldan
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fante
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rigotti
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraresso
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delriviere
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ancona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous