title: Glial cells and blood-brain barrier in the human cerebral cortex.
abstract: The spatial relationship established between glial cells and microvasculature in the human cerebral cortex was analysed on peritumoral tissue of the parietal lobe removed during surgery. Observations performed by light microscope immunocytochemistry demonstrated that processes of astrocytes, strongly immunoreactive to both glial fibrillary acidic protein and S-100 protein, form sheaths to the capillaries, and that isolated cells positive to the oligodendrocyte marker 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase are detectable in perivascular areas. Morphometrical analysis by transmission electron microscopy showed that 80% of the vascular endothelium-pericyte layer is invested by small endfeet of astrocyte processes. This study demonstrates that either astrocyte bodies or oligodendrocytes as well as microgliocytes may substitute the astrocytic endfeet adhering to the capillary basement lamina.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia-Università di Bari, Italia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Virgintino
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benagiano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maiorano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roncali
mesh_terms: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009418:S100 Proteins; D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases