blood brain barrier
Brain's selective membrane
The blood brain barrier is a layer of tightly packed cells lining blood vessels in the brain, preventing most substances in the bloodstream from entering brain tissue.
It protects the brain from pathogens and toxins but also blocks many medications: The drug can't cross the blood brain barrier.
Often abbreviated BBB in medical contexts.
- permeabilityAbility to transmit fluids
- neuronsSignal-transmitting brain cells
- capillariesTiniest blood vessels
- central nervous systemBrain plus spinal cord
- astrocytesStar-shaped brain support cells
endothelium · penetrate · pass through · membrane · drug delivery · neuroprotection · leaky · leaky gut · stroke · meningitis · inflammation · crossing · vessels · selective · transport · toxins · edema · permeate
- brain circulationcerebral artery, carotid artery, jugular vein, sinus drainage, cerebral aneurysm
- neuroanatomycerebellum, cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, brainstem
- neuroscienceneuron, MRI, neurons, synapses, dendrite
- brain markersmyelin basic protein, tangles, plaque buildup, BDNF, alpha waves
- brain researchfMRI, EEG, neurons, neuroimaging, CT scans
- brain tumorsglioblastoma, glioma, meningioma