JCB logo
BITPLANE Scientific Software
  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents
Published online
doi:10.1083/jcb.1833iti3
The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 183, No. 3, 366-367
The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525 $30.00
© Robinson
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 1072K)
Right arrow PPT slides of all figures
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new content in the JCB
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Robinson, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Robinson, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

In This Issue

BBB building


Figure 1
Wnt signaling promotes tight junction formation (arrowheads).

Construction of the brain's border fence is supervised by Wnt/β-catenin signaling, report Liebner et al.

Like many a nation, the brain requires tight border security to maintain levels of nutrients and keep out toxic substances. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a virtually impermeable network of tight junctions between endothelial cells that prevents paracellular flow of materials. Because Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a major pathway regulating other aspects of brain development, the authors examined its potential involvement in constructing the BBB.

In brain endothelial cells, Wnt signaling was active during the time of maximum vascular development, but not after the BBB matured. Activation of the Wnt signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro promoted BBB development, and inactivation prevented it. In vitro, increasing Wnt signaling also strengthened junctions between non-brain endothelial cells.

This suggests that Wnt signaling might be tweaked to mend the BBBs in patients where it has failed—such as in stroke—or to temporarily open the BBB to deliver drugs that would normally be shut out.

Liebner, S., et al. 2008. J. Cell Biol. doi:10.1083/jcb.200806024.[Abstract/Free Full Text]



Richard Robinson

rrobinson{at}nasw.org


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?



This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 1072K)
Right arrow PPT slides of all figures
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new content in the JCB
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Robinson, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Robinson, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents