| pubmed-article:11974588 | pubmed:abstractText | The determination of concentrations of exogenous or endogenous substances in the dermis, e.g. for pharmacokinetic studies, is technically difficult. Performing skin biopsies or inducing suction blisters results in the disintegration of the tissue and allows only single measurements. Recently, cutaneous microdialysis, a new simple and minimally invasive technique for continuously measuring of substances in the dermis in vivo, has been introduced in dermatological research. According to the principle of dialysis, a semipermeable membrane is inserted in the dermis and due to a concentration gradient between the interstitial space and a perfusate, substances diffuse through the pores of the membrane and can be analyzed in the dialysate. Cutaneous microdialysis represents a useful technique for pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic studies as well as for investigations regarding cutaneous physiology and pathophysiology. | lld:pubmed |
