Fisher, David W.Mentor, Shireen2020-12-102020-12-102020Fisher , D., & Mentor ,S. (2020). Are claudin-5 tight-junction proteins in the blood-brain barrier porous? .Neural Regen Res, 15(10),1838-18391876-795810.4103/1673-5374.280308http://hdl.handle.net/10566/5492The capillaries of the brain are particularly special, as they are not simply conduits for blood, but are primarily responsible to ensure that the neurons function in a strictly regulated homeostatic interstitium. Brain endothelial cells (BECs) express a plethora of ion channels on its luminal and abluminal surfaces, namely: potassium (K+ ) channels (i.e., Kir2 and Kv1), chloride (Cl–)/bicarbonate (HCO3–) channels, as well as a number of ion-solute exchangers (Redzic et al., 2011). These channels essentially prioritize vectorial transendothelial transport, especially for the regulation of K+ flux across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) (Redzic et al., 2011). The differences between the K+ concentration of the brain interstitium and plasma is only 2 mM to 4 mM, but the maintenance of this ionic concentration difference provides a constancy for the neuronal resting membrane potential, their associated firing thresholds and the preservation of a constant level of neuronal excitability.enClaudin-5Blood-brainNeuronalTJ pore-forming proteinsThe brain capillaryArticle