Figure 5.

NeoThy Humanization Surgery. (A) Immune-deficient mice are placed under anesthesia and the surgical site is shaved. (B) Mice are subcutaneously administered Buprenorphine SR (0.6mg/kg) for pain-relief. (C) Skin is disinfected with povidone-iodine wipe, followed by 70% ethanol wipe, then allowed to dry. (D) An incision is made in the skin above the left kidney, taking care to leave opening slightly narrower than the length of the kidney (see step G). (E) An incision is made in the abdominal wall. This can be larger than than the opening in the skin. (F) The kidney is exposed using a sterile swab dipped in saline and an iris spatula. (G) The kidney is held in place due to the distal and proximal ends of the kidney resting on the skin due to the small skin incision. (H) A shallow nick is made to cut through the kidney capsule. (I) A tissue pocket is made with a blunt forceps. (J) The thymus tissue is carefully placed under the capsule with a forceps, and slide to the proximal end of the kidney, away from the nick in the capsule. (K) The kidney is gently pushed back into the abdominal cavity using wet swab, as in step F. (L)(M) The abdominal wall then skin are sutured with Vicryl 5–0 absorbable sutures. (N) Vetbond tissue adhesive is added to aid in closing of the skin wound. (O) CD34⁺ HSPCs and anti-CD2 antibody preparation is i.v. injected into the tail vein. (P) Animals recover under heat lamp.