|
|
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulates the transport of substances between blood circulation and the central nervous system (CNS). The BBB can be understood as a kind of bidirectional filter system that is responsible for maintenance of the homeostasis in the CNS. Moreover, the BBB has to protect the CNS against viral and bacterial infections. In several diseases (stroke, brain tumour, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis,...) alterations of the BBB‘s functionality could be found, and restoration of the BBB might result in milder disease progressions. In addition, the BBB plays a pivotal role in drug research as well as drug development. Several CNS-targeted compounds can not reach the CNS, because they are recognized by the BBB and effluxed back into the blood-stream. On the other hand, many drugs that act in the periphery should not cross the BBB in order to prevent CNS-adverse side-effects.
|