The Contribution Of The Extracellular Matrix To The Bbb In Steady State And Inflammatory Conditions

The delicate neurons in the central nervous system are protected from the circulation by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents the transmigration of cells and harmful substances from entering the brain. Much attention has focused on the cellular components (endothelial cells and astrocyte endfeet) of this barrier, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that the noncellular components, specifically the basement membranes (BMs), play a crucial role in the integrity of the BBB. Not only do the BMs help to maintain barrier tightness through their actual presence, but also their distinct composition plays an important role in the regulation of their cellular counterparts. In this chapter we will describe the different BMs that are found in the BBB and present findings from an animal model of autoimmunity that have revealed considerable information on the function of the different BMs in maintaining BBB integrity.