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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Blood-Brain Barrier: Mechanisms Governing Permeability And Interaction With Peripherally Acting Μ-Opioid Receptor Antagonists., Eugene R. Viscusi, Andrew R Viscusi
Blood-Brain Barrier: Mechanisms Governing Permeability And Interaction With Peripherally Acting Μ-Opioid Receptor Antagonists., Eugene R. Viscusi, Andrew R Viscusi
Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) describes the unique properties of endothelial cells (ECs) that line the central nervous system (CNS) microvasculature. The BBB supports CNS homeostasis via EC-associated transport of ions, nutrients, proteins and waste products between the brain and blood. These transport mechanisms also serve as physiological barriers to pathogens, toxins and xenobiotics to prevent them from contacting neural tissue. The mechanisms that govern BBB permeability pose a challenge to drug design for CNS disorders, including pain, but can be exploited to limit the effects of a drug to the periphery, as in the design of the peripherally acting μ-opioid …