Awake animal microdialysis makes it possible continuously sampling for hours or days in the “intact” tissue of the living, awake and freely moving animal, which decreases the number of animals needed in an experiment
It collects a representative sample of all substance in the extracellular fluid with molecular cut-off and makes them accessible to analytical techniques without protein precipitation
It causes minimal damage to the BBB. This makes it possible to: (a) Study drug penetration into the brain by analyzing the drug concentration in the perfusate and (b) compare the effects of drugs on the brain when applied directly via the microsialysis probe or via the systemic route
Microdialysis serves as a unique tool for investigating the mechanisms of drug actions on animal models of psychiatric, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases
Microdialysis data may play as a "critical path" in the decision process for further development of a new CNS targeting drug
Primate
Beagle dog
Pig
Guinea pig
Rat
Mouse