Development of mouse cremaster transplantation model for intravital microscopic evaluation

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the possibility of transplanting cremaster muscle in mice. After transplantation, we measured the microcirculatory parameters and compared with the cremaster-control values with no transplantation. METHODS: In group 1 (n = 10, C57BL/6N), normal cremaster microcirculation parameters were measured without transplantation. In group 2 (n = 6), isograft transplantations were performed between C57BL/6N mice. After transplantation, standard microcirculatory parameters were measured for 3 hours in both groups. RESULTS: The procedure was performed with a 95% success rate and 75 minutes of ischemia time. Functional capillary perfusion, diameters, and red blood cell velocities of the first-, second-, and third-order arterioles and veins showed significant decreases in the isograft group within the first 2 hours (p < 0.05) but returned to normal values at the third hour. The number of rolling, adhering, and transmigrating leukocytes and lymphocytes also showed an increase in the isograft group within the first and second hours (p < 0.05, compared to cremaster control). CONCLUSIONS: Leukocyte/endothelial interaction and hemodynamic parameters of muscle flap circulation displayed the effects of ischemia in the isograft group. The cremaster muscle transplantation in mice was found to be a reliable and reproducible model offering the unique possibility of observing and studying the leukocyte-endothelial interaction during ischemia/reperfusion injury and allograft rejection using intravital microscopy.