TY - CHAP
T1 - Cells of the Blood–Brain Barrier
T2 - An Overview of the Neurovascular Unit in Health and Disease
AU - McConnell, Heather L.
AU - Mishra, Anusha
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - The brain is endowed with highly specialized vasculature that is both structurally and functionally unique compared to vasculature supplying peripheral organs. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is formed by endothelial cells of the cerebral vasculature and prevents extravasation of blood products into the brain to protect neural tissue and maintain a homeostatic environment. The BBB functions as part of the neurovascular unit (NVU), which is composed of neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in addition to the specialized endothelial cells, mural cells, and the basement membrane. Through coordinated intercellular signaling, these cells function as a dynamic unit to tightly regulate brain blood flow, vascular function, neuroimmune responses, and waste clearance. In this chapter, we review the functions of individual NVU components, describe neurovascular coupling as a classic example of NVU function, and discuss archetypal NVU pathophysiology during disease.
AB - The brain is endowed with highly specialized vasculature that is both structurally and functionally unique compared to vasculature supplying peripheral organs. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is formed by endothelial cells of the cerebral vasculature and prevents extravasation of blood products into the brain to protect neural tissue and maintain a homeostatic environment. The BBB functions as part of the neurovascular unit (NVU), which is composed of neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in addition to the specialized endothelial cells, mural cells, and the basement membrane. Through coordinated intercellular signaling, these cells function as a dynamic unit to tightly regulate brain blood flow, vascular function, neuroimmune responses, and waste clearance. In this chapter, we review the functions of individual NVU components, describe neurovascular coupling as a classic example of NVU function, and discuss archetypal NVU pathophysiology during disease.
KW - Astrogliosis
KW - Blood–brain barrier
KW - Cerebral blood flow
KW - Neurovascular coupling
KW - Neurovascular unit
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U2 - 10.1007/978-1-0716-2289-6_1
DO - 10.1007/978-1-0716-2289-6_1
M3 - Chapter
C2 - 35733036
AN - SCOPUS:85132600253
T3 - Methods in Molecular Biology
SP - 3
EP - 24
BT - Methods in Molecular Biology
PB - Humana Press Inc.
ER -