A method for in situ measurement of ionic concentration in picoliter samples of renal tubular fluid.

A method permitting rapid and frequent determination of the total ionic concentration in renal tubular fluid samples, by measuring sample electrical impedance, is described. No special electrodes or sophisticated equipment are required. Since picoliter volumes are sufficient for measurement, tubular fluid dynamics are not significantly disturbed by the sampling procedure. The sample is aspirated into the tip of the standard glass micropipette and its ionic concentration, in the range of 100-1000 mmol/l, can be determined by any sensitive impedance-measuring device. In the present studies the Wheatstone bridge of the Wiederhielm apparatus for pressure measurement in micropuncture studies was used for the purpose. The obvious limitation of the method is that the measurements do not include non-electrolytes and cannot differentiate between individual ion species.