RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Basement membrane and blood–brain barrier
JF Stroke and Vascular Neurology
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 78
OP 82
DO 10.1136/svn-2018-000198
VO 4
IS 2
A1 Xu, Lingling
A1 Nirwane, Abhijit
A1 Yao, Yao
YR 2019
UL http://svn.bmj.com/content/4/2/78.abstract
AB The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a highly complex and dynamic structure, mainly composed of brain microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes and the basement membrane (BM). The vast majority of BBB research focuses on its cellular constituents. Its non-cellular component, the BM, on the other hand, is largely understudied due to its intrinsic complexity and the lack of research tools. In this review, we focus on the role of the BM in BBB integrity. We first briefly introduce the biochemical composition and structure of the BM. Next, the biological functions of major components of the BM in BBB formation and maintenance are discussed. Our goal is to provide a concise overview on how the BM contributes to BBB integrity.