In this video, we demonstrate the surgical implantation of tumor tissue into a rabbit liver to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. The procedure helps establish a reliable animal model to study tumor behavior and development of locoregional treatments targeting cancers of the liver.
Protocol
All procedures involving animal models have been reviewed by the local institutional animal care committee and the JoVE veterinary review board. 1. Liver Tumor Implantation via Laparotomy Prepare the recipient rabbit for laparotomy. Anesthetize the recipient rabbit using 45 mg/kg ketamine and 5 mg/kg xylazine for induction followed by intubation and maintenance with 1%–3% isoflurane as needed. When the rabbit is anesthetized, shave the surgical site using hair clippers. Clean…
Representative Results
Figure 1: Exposed xiphoid process. Skin and underlying muscle have been reflected to allow for visualization of the xiphoid process (black arrow) and gut (white arrow). The white star denotes the cranial direction. Figure 2: Linea alba. Overlyi…
Generating Rabbit Liver Carcinoma Model: A Surgical Procedure to Implant Tumor Tissue in Left Lobe of Liver for Induction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20919, doi: (2023).