Methods in renal research: kidney transplantation in the rat

Kidney transplantation in small animals has been crucial in the development of anti-rejection therapies. While there is no substitute for a skilled microsurgeon, there are many aspects of the transplant procedure that can be modified to optimize the reproducibility and utility of the technique. This article provides a detailed description, including video recording, of orthotopic kidney transplantation in the rat. The key variables in the technique are also discussed.