blood–brain barrier

E559473

The blood–brain barrier is a highly selective, semipermeable border of endothelial cells that protects the brain by restricting and regulating the passage of substances from the bloodstream into the central nervous system.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf neurovascular structure
physiological barrier
selective permeability barrier
associatedWith Alzheimer's disease NERFINISHED
brain tumors
multiple sclerosis
stroke
canBeDisruptedBy hypertension
inflammation
ischemia
neurodegenerative diseases
traumatic brain injury
composedOf astrocyte end-feet
basement membrane
brain endothelial cells
pericytes
developsDuring embryonic and early postnatal development
differsFrom blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier
formedBy endothelial cells of brain capillaries
hasAbbreviation BBB
hasClinicalRelevance limits delivery of therapeutic drugs to the brain
target for drug delivery strategies
hasFeature high electrical resistance
low pinocytotic activity
tight junctions between endothelial cells
hasFunction maintain central nervous system homeostasis
protect brain from toxins
regulate transport of substances between blood and brain
restrict passage of large and hydrophilic molecules
hasMechanism efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein
paracellular restriction via tight junctions
receptor-mediated transcytosis
transcellular transport via specific carriers
isPresentIn vertebrates
locatedIn brain microvasculature
partOf central nervous system
neurovascular unit NERFINISHED
permitsPassageOf certain amino acids via transporters
gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide
glucose via specific transporters
small lipophilic molecules
water via aquaporin channels
regulatedBy astrocytes
neurons
pericytes
restrictsPassageOf large plasma proteins
many drugs
most blood-borne pathogens

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Donepezil crosses blood–brain barrier
levodopa crosses blood–brain barrier