Isolation and functional characterization of primary endothelial cells from mouse cerebral cortex

Endothelial cells (ECs) lining blood vessels are implicated in organ development, function, and maintenance. We present a detailed protocol enabling isolation and characterization of primary mouse brain ECs, including quality controls and functional assays. These procedures promote survival of primary brain ECs for the assessment of endothelial health. Since alterations in brain ECs are involved in the onset and progression of neurological disorders, this protocol represents a valuable tool to better understand the roles of ECs in brain health. For complete details on the use and execution of this profile, please refer to Ouellette et al. (2020).