Tight junction protein expression and barrier properties of immortalized mouse brain microvessel endothelial cells.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the molecular and biochemical mechanisms regulating the blood-brain barrier is aided by in vitro model systems. Many studies have used primary cultures of brain microvessel endothelial cells for this purpose. However, primary cultures limit the generation of material for molecular and biochemical assays since cells grow slowly, are prone to contamination by other neurovascular unit cells, and lose blood-brain barrier characteristics when passaged. To address these issues, immortalized cell lines have been generated. In these studies, we assessed the suitability of the immortalized mouse brain endothelial cell line, bEnd3, as a blood-brain barrier model. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence indicated expression of multiple tight junction proteins. bEnd3 cells formed barriers to radio

SUBMITTER: Brown RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1995120 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature