Methods to assess tissue permeability.

An essential requirement for adequate organ performance is the formation of permeability barriers that separate and maintain compartments of distinctive structure. The endothelial cell lining of the vasculature defines a semipermeable barrier between the blood and the interstitial spaces of all organs. Disruption of the endothelial cell barrier can result in increased permeability and vascular leak. These effects are associated with multiple systemic disease states. The mechanisms that control barrier function are complex and their full understanding requires a multidisciplinary approach. In vivo permeability data often complement molecular findings and add power to the studies. The interaction of multiple cell types and tissues present only on mammalian models allow for testing of hypothesis and to establish the physiological significance of the results. In this chapter, we describe methods that can be used systematically to measure the permeability characteristics of several organs.