Transurethral Instillation Procedure in Adult Male Mouse

The overall goal of this procedure is to use transurethral catheter insertion for the intravesical delivery of active substances into the urinary bladder and/or prostate of adult male mice. This method can help answer key questions in the field of bladder pathology about how to study the underlying mechanisms involved in lower urinary tract disease in males. The main advantages of this technique are that it can be used to induce animal models of bladder pathology and to evaluate the effectiveness of intravesicular treatment.

Transurethra instillation in male is challenging due to the natural curvature of the urethra, the thinness of the urethral wall, and the need for repetitive active substance instillation. Before beginning the procedure, select the PE tubing size based on the target organ and the age of the animal, and cut an approximately 2.5-inch long piece from the tube. Dull the sharp edge of a compatibly sized needle on a commercially available oil stone, and carefully introduce the needle into the lumen of one end of the tubing.