Microcapillary endothelial cells

Several investigators have described plausible mechanisms for the production of DHA in the CNS. Moore and co-workers described the biosynthesis of DHA and transport of fatty acids through microcapillary cerebral endothelial cells, astrocytes, and neurons (Moore et al., 1991 Moore, 1993). In this model, microcapillary endothelial cells produce DP An-3 from LNA, which is turned over to the astrocytes to be synthesized into DHA. The astrocytes then release DHA, which is taken up by neurons. In contrast, Delton-Vandenbroucke and co-workers found that cerebral vascular cells produced appreciable amounts of labcled-DH A from DP An-3 (Delton-V andenbroucke et al., 1997). They theorize that cerebral endothelial cells will convert circulating DP An-3 into DHA, which is then taken up into the brain. These reports suggest that in the CNS, unlike the liver in which biosynthesis of DHA from LNA takes place entirely within the hepatocyte. 

Kolega, J. (1997). Asymmetry in the distribution of free versus cytoskeletal myosin II in locomoting microcapillary endothelial cells. Exp. Cell Res. 231, 66-82. Kreis, T.E. and Birchmeier, W. (1980). Stress fiber sarcomeres of fibroblasts are contractile. Cell 22, 555-561. 

The BBB consists of microcapillary blood vessels that run throughout the brain in close proximity to brain cells [37, 38]. On the inner surface of the capillaries, the endothelial cells are held tightly together to each other to form a monolayer. Centrally acting drugs must permeate through these endothelial cells to penetrate into the brain. 

Unger, R.E., Sartoils, A., Peters, K., Motta, A., Migliaresi, C., Kunkel, M., Bulnheim, U., Rychly, 1., Kirkpatrick, C.J. Tissue-like self-assembly in cocultures of endothelial cells and osteoblasts and the formation of microcapillary-like structures on three-dimensional porous biomaterials. Biomaterials 28,3965-3976 (2007)... 

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