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Engineering the human blood-brain barrier in vitro
John J Jamieson1,2, Peter C Searson2,3, Sharon Gerecht1,2,3
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA.
Journal of Biological Engineering
|December 8, 2017
Summary
Innovative stem cell engineering is advancing blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vitro models. These new platforms overcome limitations, enabling better study of brain transport in neurological diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulates brain molecular and cellular transport.
- Endothelial cells form the physical BBB but require interactions with other cell types.
- Current in vitro BBB models face biological and technical limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in stem cell engineering for creating innovative BBB in vitro models.
- To highlight the potential of these models for mechanistic investigations.
- To discuss applications in central nervous system disease research.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on stem cell engineering applied to BBB models.
- Analysis of innovative platforms replicating key BBB features.
- Discussion of advancements addressing current model limitations.
Main Results:
- Stem cell engineering offers novel strategies for developing more accurate BBB models.
- New platforms can better replicate the biological complexity of the BBB.
- These advancements promise to overcome limitations of existing in vitro systems.
Conclusions:
- Stem cell-derived in vitro models represent a significant advancement in BBB research.
- These innovative platforms will facilitate mechanistic studies of BBB transport.
- Future applications include enhanced drug screening and understanding of CNS diseases.
