Overview of microdialysis.

The technique of microdialysis enables the monitoring of neurotransmitters and other molecules in the extracellular environment. This method has undergone several modifications and is now widely used for sampling and quantitating neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and hormones in the brain and periphery. This unit describes the principles of conventional and quantitative microdialysis as well as strategies in designing a dialysis experiment. It establishes the groundwork for the basic techniques of preparation, conduct, and analysis of dialysis experiments in rodents and subhuman primates. Although the methods described are those used for monitoring CNS function, they can be easily applied with minor modification to other organ systems.