Pericytes are required for blood–brain barrier integrity during embryogenesis

Richard Daneman (), Lu Zhou, Amanuel A. Kebede and Ben A. Barres
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Richard Daneman: 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSW1301, San Francisco, California 94143-0452, USA
Lu Zhou: Stanford University School of Medicine, Fairchild Science Building D200, Stanford, California 94305-5125, USA
Amanuel A. Kebede: 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSW1301, San Francisco, California 94143-0452, USA
Ben A. Barres: Stanford University School of Medicine, Fairchild Science Building D200, Stanford, California 94305-5125, USA

Nature, 2010, vol. 468, issue 7323, 562-566

Abstract: Building the blood–brain barrier The blood–brain barrier is a gatekeeper between the central nervous system and the rest of the body, and is made up of vascular endothelial cells. Previous work upheld the notion that the barrier was formed postnatally as a result of signalling from non-neuronal cells called astrocytes to endothelial cells. Now, two independent studies demonstrate that the barrier is in fact formed during embryogenesis, with the critical factor being the interaction between blood-vessel-surrounding cells called pericytes and epithelial cells. A better understanding of the tight relationship between pericytes, neuroendothelial cells and astrocytes in blood–brain barrier function will contribute to our understanding of the breakdown of the barrier during central nervous system injury and disease.

Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1038/nature09513

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