title: Isolation and culture of microvascular endothelial cells from murine spinal cord.
abstract: The isolation and culture of spinal cord microvascular endothelial cells (SCMEC), which form the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), is described. Though morphologically similar to brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) that form the blood-brain barrier (BBB), SCMEC express reduced amounts of several prominent BBB proteins, including tight junction-associated proteins ZO-1 and occludin, adherens junction-associated proteins beta-catenin and VE-cadherin, and the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein. These distinguishing features may reflect more widespread differences between the BBB and BSCB that impact physiological and pathophysiological processes.
authors.affiliation: Blood-Brain Barrier Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Ge@uchc.edu
authors.forename: Shujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pachter
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D062793:Occludin; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D062793:Occludin; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D000099152:Cadherin 5; C568986:Ocln protein, mouse; C569043:Tjp1 protein, mouse