title: [Regulation of brain microvessel function].
abstract: The brain microvessels are formed by a specialized endothelium and regulate the movement of solutes between blood and brain. The endothelial cells are sealed together by tight junctions and play a role as the blood-brain barrier. The brain microvessels express GLUT1 as the major form of glucose transporter, aquaporin-4 as a water channel, and p-glycoprotein as a xenobiotic transporter. Occludin and claudin-5 have been identified as the components of tight junction. Increasing evidence suggests that the activities of the transporters are regulated by adrenergic nerve activity as well as by bioactive peptides such as adrenomedullin. The regulation of the activity as well as expression of these transporters may become a strategy for prophylaxis and treatment of not only cerebral vascular diseases but also neurodegenerative disorders, developmental abnormalities and aging of the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Miyazaki Medical College, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan. hkobayas@post.miyazaki-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanagita
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000502:physiology; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000818:Animals; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000502:physiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D020346:Aquaporins; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C495677:SLC2A1 protein, human; D015262:Xenobiotics; D053607:Adrenomedullin