Vascularized skin/bone transplantation model

Abstract

Developing new strategies for tolerance induction to induce antigen-specific immunologic insensitivity is one of the main purpose of the modern immunology. Tolerance induction would be the most useful treatment modality in dealing with allogeneic and/or xenogeneic transplantations and immune-mediated diseases. Recently, stem cell transplantation, either hematopoietic or from other sources, has gained great popularity and has been used extensively as a therapeutic and research modality. Here, we introduced a new model for vascularized skin and bone marrow transplantation. In this model combined groin skin and femoral bone flaps were transplanted based on the femoral artery and vein. Transplants were evaluated on a daily basis. All flaps survived without problem over 100 days post-transplant. The skin component remained pink, pliable and grew a new hair. Histological examination of the femoral bone revealed active hematopoiesis with a viable compact and cancellous bone components on day 100 post-transplant. This model may serve as an experimental tool for the novel tolerance induction studies across MHC barrier where bone will serve as donor of stem and progenitor cells and skin flap serve as a monitor of graft rejection.