Microdialysis

Microdialysis is a minimally invasive technique used in continuous measurement of free, unbound analyte concentrations in virtually any tissue's extracellular fluid. The microdialysis technique allows the monitoring of interstitial tissue fluid neurotransmitter and other molecules. The method is widely used to sample and quantify brain and peripheral neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and hormones. Virtually any soluble molecule in the interstitial space fluid is measured by microdialysis, depending on the availability of an appropriate analytical assay. This unit describes both conventional and quantitative microdialysis principles and dialysis experiment strategies. The framework for preparing, conducting and analyzing basic techniques for dialysis testing of rodents and subhuman primates has been developed (UNITS 7.2–7.4). The above methods can be adapted to other organ systems, although they are used to monitor the CNS function.