A small, removable microdialysis probe

A miniaturized, concentric, microdialysis probe is described. It is constructed from 36 gauge stainless steel tubing inside of 26 gauge tubing, with a cellulose hollow fiber tip 0.2 mm in diameter and 2 mm long. It has a 6000 molecular weight cut off that excludes enzymes but collects monoamines, their metabolites, and other small neurochemicals. In vitro tests show relative recovery rates of 5-10%. Absolute recovery measured in picograms was independent of the perfusate flow rate inside the probe. Tests in awake rats with probes in the nucleus accumbens showed stable amounts of catecholamines and metabolites collected during repeated 20 min samples. After ip amphetamine, release of dopamine in the accumbens increased from 20 to 40 pg per sample while DOPAC and HVA decreased from about 1500 to 500 pg. Tests of multiple site sampling succeeded in obtaining norepinephrine and dopamine plus three metabolites (DOPAC, HVA and 5HIAA) from four probes simultaneously in four different brain sites in each rat. Five day continuous samples or monthly intermittent samples can be obtained with this microdialysis probe.