A highly selective semipermeable cellular structure composed of specialized endothelial cells that forms a critical protective interface between the circulating blood and the delicate microenvironment of the brain and central nervous system. This barrier is essential for maintaining the brain’s strictly controlled chemical environment, which is necessary for proper neuronal signaling and function. Clinically, the integrity of this barrier is vital, as its compromise can lead to neuroinflammation and contribute to neurological pathology.
Origin
The concept originates from early physiological experiments that demonstrated certain substances injected into the bloodstream failed to penetrate the brain and spinal cord tissue. It is a descriptive term combining the fluid that carries nutrients and hormones, “blood,” with the organ it protects, the “brain,” and the structural defense, “barrier.” Its anatomical basis lies in the unique, restrictive tight junctions between the capillary endothelial cells of the CNS.
Mechanism
The Blood-Brain Barrier functions primarily through the tight junctions between its endothelial cells, which strictly restrict the paracellular movement of water-soluble molecules. Specific, energy-dependent transport proteins and efflux pumps actively manage the movement of essential nutrients into the brain while simultaneously removing metabolic waste products. Lipid-soluble signaling molecules, including many steroid hormones, can effectively diffuse across the barrier, or they may utilize specific transporters to exert central endocrine control over brain function and mood.
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