I am looking to test paracellular intestinal permeability in mice on different diets. I am reading up on FITC-Dextran assays and am wondering what size molecules I should purchase.
FITC-dextran is used in cardiovascular, microcirculation, perfusion, cell monolayer and cell membrane permeability research as fluorescent flux tracer compound that supports the measurement of processes such as blood flow, membrane damage, vascular drainage and renal elimination. Small FITC-dextrans are also used to measure processes such as endocytosis and cell junction permeability. 5kDa FITC-dextran may be used to calibrate microscale diffusion measurements. 5kDa FITC-dextran may be used to measure gut permeability in gut barrier dysfunction research.
Protocol from Bowdish lab: http://www.bowdish.ca/lab/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/FITC-dextran-intestinal-permability-assay-v2-2018-01-01.pdf