Problems Involved in the Measurement of Microcirculation by Means of Microelectrodes

Until now, the interpretation of local wash-out curves, measured by means of microelectrodes and using hydrogen as diffusible indicator, is an unsettled problem. It has been shown, that even the simultaneous measurement by means of a surface-multiwire-Pt-microelectrode at the isolated and hemoglobin-free perfused rat liver yields different wash-out curves (4). These differences occur with regard to the height of the curves as well as to the moment, when the maximum of the indicator’s concentration is seen by the microelectrode. Fig.1 represents four simultaneously recorded curves. The difference in sensitivity of each micro-electrode has been compensated by a computer. The fast curve corres…