microdiálise

Microdialysis is a neurochemical sampling technique used to measure the concentration of substances in the interstitial fluid of various tissues, most commonly the brain. It involves the insertion of a small, semi-permeable catheter called a dialysis probe into the target tissue. A sterile fluid, known as perfusion fluid, is continuously pumped through the probe at a slow rate. As the perfusion fluid travels through the probe, molecules from the surrounding interstitial fluid can freely cross the semi-permeable membrane based on their concentration gradients. Substances that are small enough, such as neurotransmitters, metabolites, glucose, and amino acids, will diffuse from the interstitial fluid into the perfusion fluid. The perfusion fluid, now containing these sampled molecules, is collected at the other end of the probe and sent for analysis, typically using techniques like high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This allows researchers to monitor the dynamic changes in the chemical composition of the extracellular space in living organisms. Microdialysis is a valuable tool for studying brain function, drug action, and the pathophysiology of neurological disorders in both research and clinical settings.