Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
Disruption of the Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier by Small Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Human Placentas
Published on: January 26, 2024
Expression and localization of claudins-3 and -12 in transformed human brain endothelium
Anja Schrade1, Hadassah Sade, Pierre-Olivier Couraud
1Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), LMR Penzberg, Roche, Penzberg, Germany. jens.niewoehner@roche.com.
Background:
The aim of this study was to characterize the hCMEC/D3 cell line, an in vitro model of the human Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) for the expression of brain endothelial specific claudins-3 and -12.
Findings:
hCMEC/D3 cells express claudins-3 and -12. Claudin-3 is distinctly localized to the TJ whereas claudin -12 is observed in the perinuclear region and completely absent from TJs. We show that the expression of both proteins is lost in cell passage numbers where the BBB properties are no longer fully conserved. Expression and localization of claudin-3 is not modulated by simvastatin shown to improve barrier function in vitro and also recommended for routine hCMEC/D3 culture.
Conclusions:
These results support conservation of claudin-3 and -12 expression in the hCMEC/D3 cell line and make claudin-3 a potential marker for BBB characteristics in vitro.
