Intravital microscopy: an integrated evaluation of peritoneal function and structure.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions may affect various aspects of peritoneal function and structure. The present communication describes the application of an intravital microscopy technique for the study of peritoneal pathophysiology. The technique allows the in vivo measurement of peritoneal blood flow rate, microvascular permeability to macromolecules, leukocyte-endothelial interactions, microvascular density and lymph vessel kinetics. The off-line coupling to a computer-assisted image analysis system permits the rapid quantitation and integrated evaluation of these different parameters. The model may be an attractive tool for the study of the pathophysiological consequences of acute or long-term dialysate exposure, as well as for the development and evaluation of novel PD solutions.