Transcytosis of 6.6-nm gold-labeled transferrin: an ultrastructural study in cultured porcine blood-brain barrier endothelial cells.
The mechanism and regulation of iron transport to the brain are largely unknown. The large surface area of the blood-brain barrier capillaries and the presence of transferrin receptors on the luminal plasma membranes of the blood-brain barrier endothelial cells (BBB-ECs) suggest that these cells actively participate in the transport of iron into the brain. In this paper, we describe the ultrastructural morphology of primary and first-passage cultures of BBB-ECs grown on different types of porous membranes. To investigate the mechanism of iron transport into and across the BBB-ECs, porous membrane grown first-passage cells were incubated with 6.6-nm gold-labeled transferrin and studied with electron microscopy. Results are suggestive for a transcytosis of transferrin through the BBB-ECs.
van Gelder
W
W
Department of Chemical Pathology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Cleton-Soeteman
M I
MI
Huijskes-Heins
M I
MI
van Run
P R
PR
van Eijk
H G
HG
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017979:Gold Colloid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013552:Swine; D014168:Transferrin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D017979:Gold Colloid; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron