TY - JOUR
T1 - Endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase by brain microvascular and umbilical vein endothelial cells in culture
T2 - An ultrastructural and morphometric study
AU - Defazio, Giovanni
AU - Ribatti, Domenico
AU - Nico, Beatrice
AU - Ricchiuti, Felicia
AU - De Salvia, Roberto
AU - Roncali, Luisa
AU - Livrea, Paolo
PY - 1997/6
Y1 - 1997/6
N2 - The ability to form tight junctions and the paucity of fluid phase endocytosis showed by brain microvacular endothelial cells (BMECs) make up the structural basis of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Most studies on cultured BMECs focused on intercellular junctions, whereas endocytosis received lesser attention. We studied endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase in primary and passage 1 and 2 BMEC cultures from rat brain as well as in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture. Endocytic activity was also analyzed in passage 1 BMECs treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/ml for 4 h), which mimics BBB disruption in bacterial meningoencephalitis. The percent of cytoplasmic area occupied by endocytic profiles (vesicles 70 nm) and their mean number per cell were significantly lower in primary and passaged BMEC than in HUVEC cultures. The area and number of endocytic profiles significantly increased in BMECs after exposure to LPS. BMECs cultured under standard conditions may be a suitable model for studying the mechanism of increased fluid phase endocytosis in certain diseases and injury states.
AB - The ability to form tight junctions and the paucity of fluid phase endocytosis showed by brain microvacular endothelial cells (BMECs) make up the structural basis of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Most studies on cultured BMECs focused on intercellular junctions, whereas endocytosis received lesser attention. We studied endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase in primary and passage 1 and 2 BMEC cultures from rat brain as well as in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture. Endocytic activity was also analyzed in passage 1 BMECs treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/ml for 4 h), which mimics BBB disruption in bacterial meningoencephalitis. The percent of cytoplasmic area occupied by endocytic profiles (vesicles 70 nm) and their mean number per cell were significantly lower in primary and passaged BMEC than in HUVEC cultures. The area and number of endocytic profiles significantly increased in BMECs after exposure to LPS. BMECs cultured under standard conditions may be a suitable model for studying the mechanism of increased fluid phase endocytosis in certain diseases and injury states.
KW - Brain microvascular cells
KW - Horseradise peroxidase
KW - Umbilical vein endothelial cells
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U2 - 10.1016/S0361-9230(97)00080-4
DO - 10.1016/S0361-9230(97)00080-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 9250620
AN - SCOPUS:0030791590
VL - 43
SP - 467
EP - 472
JO - Brain Research Bulletin
JF - Brain Research Bulletin
SN - 0361-9230
IS - 5
ER -