Virtual Mouse Necropsy
Step 9: The Kidneys
- Adrenal Glands
- Left Kidney
- Right Kidney
- Renal Pelvis
- Abdominal Aorta
- Caudal Vena Cava
- Ureters
Kidneys
The kidneys are located on the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity, held securely in place by the tough capsules that surround them. The adrenals are located anterior to them. If you are interested in the ureters, excise the entire system, including the surrounding fat where the ureters are hiding, and fix it in situ. If the uterers are not your objective, simply remove the kidney and adrenal together. Being careful not to gouge the kidney, slide the tips of your scissors underneath the clear, thin layer of the capsule near the renal pelvis and slip it off. The cortex of the kidney is firmly granular or "dotted" looking. It should have a rich, brownish red color and be firm in consistency. Place it in fixative after examination. To be on the safe side, take both kidneys, in case you damage the first one.
Adrenals
The adrenal ideally should be attached to the removed capsule. It might be a good idea to keep the capsule and the adrenal attached to the kidney at the hilis for a few reasons. First, the histology people will be less likely to write off the adrenal as "junk" if it is associated with the kidney visually. Second, in the surrounding fat excised with the kidney lie the renal nodes, which you might want to examine. A quick note: the male adrenal is larger than that of the female.
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