Transcytosis at the blood-brain barrier.

Transcytosis at the blood-brain barrier. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2019 Jan 29;57:32-38 Authors: Ayloo S, Gu C Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a functional interface separating the brain from the circulatory system and is essential for homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). The BBB regulates molecular flux to maintain an optimal environment for neuronal function and protects the brain from toxins and pathogens. Endothelial cells forming the walls of CNS blood vessels constitute the BBB. CNS endothelial cells exhibit two features that underlie the restrictive properties of the BBB: specialized tight junctions that prevent paracellular passage between the blood and the brain, and unusually low levels of vesicle trafficking that limit transcellular transport or transcytosis. While the prevailing view in the field was that specialized tight junctions contributed to CNS barrier properties, recent findings have revealed the importance of maintaining low rates of transcytosis at the BBB. It is now clear that suppression of transcytosis at the BBB is an active process and CNS-specific genetic programs inhibit this pathway to maintain a functional barrier. PMID: 30708291 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Neurobiology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Neurobiol Source Type: research