Measurement of cutaneous blood flow velocity in delayed hypersensitivity reactions in guinea pigs.
The blood flow velocity in the skin of the flanks of guinea pigs can be measured precisely by laser Doppler velocimetry, provided the animal is mildly sedated. The probe holder can be attached to the shaved skin with cyanoacrylate glue and can be detached after completion of blood flow velocity measurements by application of acetone without harming the animal. The technique is pain-free and non-invasive: it can be used to make serial measurements on the same animal. The system has demonstrated hyperaemia in delayed-type responses to tuberculin PPD, ovalbumin and Keyhole Limpet Haemocyanin with immunological specificity. The time course of evolution and resolution of the vasomotor response accords with previous experience. The method can detect hyperaemia-inducing mediators in the supernatant of antigen or mitogen stimulated lymphocyte cultures and could be used for their bioassay.
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D012882:Skin Tests; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods