title: Blood-brain barrier and energy balance.
abstract: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in the transduction of signals between the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. It does so through several mechanisms, including the direct transport of peptides and regulatory proteins such as insulin and leptin. Another mechanism that may be important is the secretion by brain endothelial cells of substances that affect feeding, such as proinflammatory cytokines and NO. We have recently shown that the BBB is capable of receiving an input from one side and secreting a substance into the other. Additionally, BBB secretions can be modulated by substances that affect feeding, such as adiponectin and lipopolysaccharide.
authors.affiliation: GRECC, Veterans Affairs Medical Center-St. Louis, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, WAB, 915 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, USA. bankswa@slu.edu
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D009569:Nitric Oxide