Blood–brain barrier

The blood–brain barrier is a selective interface between blood and central nervous system tissue. It restricts many substances from entering the brain while allowing essential molecules through.

Tight junction: A protein-based seal joining neighboring cells and limiting passage between them. Tight junctions seal brain endothelial cells, restricting movement between cells.
Neurovascular unit: The interacting cells and structures that couple brain blood vessels with neural activity. The barrier operates within this coordinated network of vessels and brain cells.
Drug delivery to the brain: Methods for getting therapeutic compounds from the circulation into the central nervous system. The barrier’s selectivity is a major obstacle to systemic brain treatments.
Paul Ehrlich: A German physician and scientist who pioneered immunology and chemotherapy. His dye experiments revealed that circulating substances stain most tissues but spare the brain.
Endothelial cell: A cell lining the interior surface of blood and lymphatic vessels. Brain endothelial cells form the barrier’s central cellular layer.
Blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier: A selective interface between blood and cerebrospinal fluid, formed mainly by choroid plexus epithelial cells. It is a distinct blood-to-brain-fluid interface, unlike the barrier at brain capillaries.
Osmotic blood–brain barrier disruption: A procedure that temporarily increases barrier permeability using a concentrated osmotic solution. It has been used to increase access of circulating chemotherapy to brain tumors.
Edwin Goldmann: A German physician who studied dye distribution between blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain. His contrasting injection experiments localized the protective boundary to the blood–brain interface.
Astrocyte: A star-shaped glial cell that supports neurons and regulates the brain’s extracellular environment. Astrocytes help maintain barrier properties through signals to nearby vessels.
Cerebral capillary: A small blood vessel in the brain where exchange between blood and tissue occurs. Most blood–brain barrier exchange takes place across these vessels.

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