Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Rat Model of Blood-brain Barrier Disruption to Allow Targeted Neurovascular Therapeutics
Published on: November 30, 2012
Harnessing skull immunity for brain drug delivery
Samuel J C McCullough1, Taylor J Stevenson1, Justin Rustenhoven1
1Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract:
Therapeutic delivery to the brain after stroke is limited by the blood-brain barrier. In this issue of Cell, Gao et al. bypass this obstacle by harnessing skull bone marrow immune cells to deliver drug-loaded nanoparticles to injured brain regions, improving outcomes and revealing a feasible translational strategy for targeted CNS therapy.
Related Concept Videos
The Blood-brain Barrier
Physiological Barriers
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Physiological Barriers
The capillary endothelial barrier allows only smaller molecules below 600 Da (Daltons) to pass through. It also restricts drugs like heparin that are bound to blood components, limiting their movement within the bloodstream.
The...
Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...

