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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Improved Method for the Establishment of an In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Model Based on Porcine Brain Endothelial Cells
Published on: September 24, 2017
Hypothesis: Can drug-loaded platelets be used as delivery vehicles for blood-brain barrier penetration?
S M Kola1, P Kumar1, Y E Choonara1
1Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa.
Abstract:
Neurovascular conditions are disorders associated with the blood vessels of the brain that are extremely difficult to treat successfully due to the selectivity and fastidious nature of the blood- brain barrier. Consequently, the efficacy of the pharmacological treatments for these conditions are greatly reduced thereby resulting in large amounts of neurovascular-related morbidity and mortality. Platelets are an important component of blood that actively respond to neurovascular distress in the body. Recent research has proven the effectiveness of platelets as drug delivery vehicles, during circumstances where the body naturally elicits a platelet response. This hypothesis highlights the theoretical use of platelets as drug delivery vehicles, able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, for the treatment of two neurovascular conditions; glioblastoma multiforme and ischemic stroke. The success of the hypothesised system may lead to the development of a novel and extremely necessary delivery mechanism.
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