A microfluidic model of the blood-brain barrier to study permeabilization by pulsed electric fields.

ABSTRACT: Pulsed electric fields interact with the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and have been shown to increase the BBB permeability under some pulsing regimes. Pulsed electric fields may enhance drug delivery to the brain by disrupting the integrity of the BBB and allowing otherwise impermeable drugs to reach target areas. Microfluidic, in vitro models offer an alternative platform for exploring the impact of pulsed electric fields on the BBB because they create physiologically relevant microenvironments and eliminate the confounding variables of animal studies. We developed a microfluidic platform for real-time measurement of BBB permeability pre- and post-treatment with pulsed electric fields. Permeability is measured optically by the diffusion of fluorescent tracers across a monolayer of human cere

SUBMITTER: Bonakdar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5753766 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature