title: Orthotopic Hind Limb Transplantation in the Mouse.
abstract: In vivo animal model systems, and in particular mouse models, have evolved into powerful and versatile scientific tools indispensable to basic and translational research in the field of transplantation medicine. A vast array of reagents is available exclusively in this setting, including mono- and polyclonal antibodies for both diagnostic and interventional applications. In addition, a vast number of genotyped, inbred, transgenic, and knock out strains allow detailed investigation of the individual contributions of humoral and cellular components to the complex interplay of an immune response and make the mouse the gold standard for immunological research. Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) delineates a novel field of transplantation using allografts to replace "like with like" in patients suffering traumatic or congenital tissue loss. This surgical methodological protocol shows the use of a non-suture cuff technique for super-microvascular anastomosis in an orthotopic mouse hind limb transplantation model. The model specifically allows for comparison between established paradigms in solid organ transplantation with a novel form of transplants consisting of various different tissue components. Uniquely, this model allows for the transplantation of a viable vascularized bone marrow compartment and niche that have the potential to exert a beneficial effect on the balance of immune acceptance and rejection. This technique provides a tool to investigate alloantigen recognition and allograft rejection and acceptance, as well as enables the pursuit of functional nerve regeneration studies to further advance this novel field of transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Georg J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Furtmüller
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Byoungchol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grahammer
authors.affiliation: Center for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Charite Berlin.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sucher
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Madeline L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fryer
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: W P Andrew
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; gbranda2@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brandacher
mesh_terms: D064591:Allografts; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D051379:Mice; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods