Culture of endothelial cells from neural capillaries

摘要: In brain and retinal capillaries, the endothelial cells are sealed together by continuous tight junctions (1, 2), contain few pinocytotic vesicles have a polar distribution of transport carriers between their luminal antiluminal plasma membranes (3, 4). These features distinguish neural from systemic capillaries result in formation blood-brain blood-retinal barriers. However, addition to providing permeability barrier some solutes, must regulate movement many other solutes into out nervous system. Since it is difficult study cellular mechanisms involved control capillary intact animals, methods were developed isolate microvessels retina. Isolated metabolically active been useful characterizing biochemical properties this specialized endothelium as well studying its response toxic agents. There are, however, several limitations use freshly isolated microvessels. Studies restricted short incubations lasting minutes hours so that not possible long-term injury. addition, investigations limited studies solute rather than across layer cells. Furthermore, per-icytes occasional smooth muscle This fact hinders interpretation metabolic responses capillaries. Finally, while growth new or prominent reaction diseases, proliferative cannot be studied with these problems might circumvented growing purified monolayer culture, laboratories begun develop for culturing review will consider early advances made