A modification of the rat kidney transplantation model: reduction of experimental animals.

Inbred rats display several abnormalities of the renal arteries, which are relevant for the technique used in the kidney transplantation model. After analysis of anatomical variations of renal vascular supply in inbred Lewis rats we describe an improved standardized technique of bilateral kidney grafting. After harvesting both kidneys from the donor animal they can be transplanted into 2 recipient animals. That allows to save up to 50% of donor animals.