Studies on Renal Transplantation in Sheep

Summary Transplants of the kidney were performed in 34 sheep using the “iliac” position. The function of autografts, homografts and normal host kidneys was studied together with the histological changes. To reduce ischaemic damage during transplantation, the kidneys were cooled. Cooling by perfusion was unsuccessful but a useful technique of local renal cooling was evolved. Iliac autografts functioned normally up to two and one‐half years but homografts were rejected in five to nine days. The function of a grafted kidney‐was affected by the presence of normal kidneys. The concept of renal loading in relation to graft function is discussed. Bacteriological study showed that an anuric homograft, if not quickly removed, became secondarily infected with CI. welchii. This led to toxic damage to the animal's own kidneys. Injection of spleen cells into embryonic lambs was followed six months after birth by kidney homotransplantation from the same donor. There was no increased tolerance to such renal homografts.