Microdialysis of inflammatory mediators in the skin: a review

Skin microdialysis is an established method for in vivo sample collection from the extracellular fluid space. This method has been extensively used in studies of inflammatory reactions in the skin of animals and humans. Skin microdialysis consists of the implantation of semi-permeable probes into the upper dermis, perfusion with a physiological buffer, and the recovery of the substances that diffused from the skin into the perfusion fluid. Microdialysis allows the simultaneous assessment of the temporal variations of inflammatory mediator release in the skin as well as the monitoring of vascular and sensory functions. By the aid of this technique, potential associations can be found between functional changes and a variety of substances and mediators released at the site of interest. This allows further insights into the possible mechanisms underlying physiological and pathophysiological events in the skin, including cutaneous inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive but not exhaustive review of the use of microdialysis in studies of experimental and clinical inflammatory reactions in the skin in animals and humans.