Orthotopic transplantation of decellularized liver scaffold in mice.

End-stage liver disease is a life threatening health problem to millions of people worldwide. Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only therapy for the definitive cure at the present time. However, persistent shortage in donor organs limits the opportunity for patients to receive this treatment. Liver tissue engineering aims to overcome this restriction by generating functional tissue constructs for treatment of individuals with the end-stage liver disease. Recently, a new strategy has emerged using the natural organ scaffold as a vehicle for liver tissue engineering. This involves preparation of decellularized scaffold containing the circulatory framework of the natural organ system. Currently, surgical performance of liver scaffold transplantation with end-to-side anastomosis of major vessels in small experimental animals, particularly in mice (mLBST), remains technically challenging. Here, we describe surgical techniques of mLBST that can be used for evaluation of engineered liver grafts in recipients.