Increased transendothelial channel transport of cerebral capillary endothelium in stroke-prone SHR

Permeability of brain capillaries of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) was studied using labelling (horseradish peroxidase) and cytochemical techniques at the cellular level. In the cerebral capillary endothelium the tracer molecules were quickly transported by abundant transendothelial channels which directly connected the capillary lumen to the subendothelial space. Transendothelial channels are abundant and should be postulated as structural formations engaged in the increased transport of proteins across the capillary endothelium. Ultracytochemical studies revealed that the channels, bounded by indistinct delimiting membranes, initially had no acid phosphatase activity. With the passage of time, however, the channels showed acid phosphatase activity and were lined with distinct membranes. These observations suggested that the lysosomes might fuse with the transendothelial channels and might play an important part in the transport of macromolecules.