Skip to main content

Isolation and Culture of Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells for In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Studies

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Neurotrophic Factors

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1727))

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential to maintain the proper microenvironment for brain function. Although formed by different cell types, the endothelial cells (ECs) of the brain microvessels provide the BBB with its selective permeability. To study the BBB in vitro, EC lines as well as primary isolated ECs have been used. In this chapter, we will provide a detailed protocol on how to isolate and culture primary brain microvascular endothelial cells from different species for use as in vitro models of the BBB. When performed properly, this protocol will allow one to obtain a pure culture of brain microvascular endothelial cells with which to analyze the effects of therapeutic and toxic agents on BBB functions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bernacki J, Dobrowolska A, Nierwinska K, Malecki A (2008) Physiology and pharmacological role of the blood-brain barrier. Pharmacol Rep 60(5):600–622

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Hawkins BT, Davis TP (2005) The blood-brain barrier/neurovascular unit in health and disease. Pharmacol Rev 57(2):173–185. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.57.2.4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cardoso FL, Brites D, Brito MA (2010) Looking at the blood-brain barrier: molecular anatomy and possible investigation approaches. Brain Res Rev 64(2):328–363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2010.05.003

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Weksler BB, Subileau EA, Perriere N, Charneau P, Holloway K, Leveque M, Tricoire-Leignel H, Nicotra A, Bourdoulous S, Turowski P, Male DK, Roux F, Greenwood J, Romero IA, Couraud PO (2005) Blood-brain barrier-specific properties of a human adult brain endothelial cell line. FASEB J 19(13):1872–1874. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.04-3458fje

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ebnet K (2008) Organization of multiprotein complexes at cell-cell junctions. Histochem Cell Biol 130(1):1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-008-0418-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Forster C (2008) Tight junctions and the modulation of barrier function in disease. Histochem Cell Biol 130(1):55–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-008-0424-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Helms HC, Abbott NJ, Burek M, Cecchelli R, Couraud PO, Deli MA, Forster C, Galla HJ, Romero IA, Shusta EV, Stebbins MJ, Vandenhaute E, Weksler B, Brodin B (2016) In vitro models of the blood-brain barrier: an overview of commonly used brain endothelial cell culture models and guidelines for their use. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 36(5):862–890. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271678x16630991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Steiner O, Coisne C, Engelhardt B, Lyck R (2011) Comparison of immortalized bEnd5 and primary mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells as in vitro blood-brain barrier models for the study of T cell extravasation. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 31(1):315–327. https://doi.org/10.1038/jcbfm.2010.96

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Urich E, Lazic SE, Molnos J, Wells I, Freskgard PO (2012) Transcriptional profiling of human brain endothelial cells reveals key properties crucial for predictive in vitro blood-brain barrier models. PLoS One 7(5):e38149. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038149

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Audus KL, Borchardt RT (1987) Bovine brain microvessel endothelial-cell monolayers as a model system for the blood-brain-barrier. Ann N Y Acad Sci 507:9–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1987.tb45787.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Trickler WJ, Lantz SM, Murdock RC, Schrand AM, Robinson BL, Newport GD, Schlager JJ, Oldenburg SJ, Paule MG, Slikker W Jr, Hussain SM, Ali SF (2011) Brain microvessel endothelial cells responses to gold nanoparticles: in vitro pro-inflammatory mediators and permeability. Nanotoxicology 5(4):479–492. https://doi.org/10.3109/17435390.2010.540356

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Trickler WJ, Lantz SM, Schrand AM, Robinson BL, Newport GD, Schlager JJ, Paule MG, Slikker W, Biris AS, Hussain SM, Ali SF (2012) Effects of copper nanoparticles on rat cerebral microvessel endothelial cells. Nanomedicine (Lond) 7(6):835–846. https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm.11.154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Trickler WJ, Lantz-McPeak SM, Robinson BL, Paule MG, Slikker W Jr, Biris AS, Schlager JJ, Hussain SM, Kanungo J, Gonzalez C, Ali SF (2014) Porcine brain microvessel endothelial cells show pro-inflammatory response to the size and composition of metallic nanoparticles. Drug Metab Rev 46(2):224–231. https://doi.org/10.3109/03602532.2013.873450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Imam SZ, Lantz-McPeak SM, Cuevas E, Rosas-Hernandez H, Liachenko S, Zhang YB, Sarkar S, Ramu J, Robinson BL, Jones Y, Gough B, Paule MG, Ali SF, Binienda ZK (2015) Iron oxide nanoparticles induce dopaminergic damage: in vitro pathways and in vivo imaging reveals mechanism of neuronal damage. Mol Neurobiol 52(2):913–926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9259-2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rosas-Hernandez H, Cuevas E, Lantz SM, Rice KC, Gannon BM, Fantegrossi WE, Gonzalez C, Paule MG, Ali SF (2016) Methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) induce differential cytotoxic effects in bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells. Neurosci Lett 629:125–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2016.06.029

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Rosas-Hernandez H, Cuevas E, Lantz-McPeak SM, Ali SF, Gonzalez C (2013) Prolactin protects against the methamphetamine-induced cerebral vascular toxicity. Curr Neurovasc Res 10(4):346–355

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Rosas-Hernandez H, Cuevas E, Lantz SM, Hamilton WR, Ramirez-Lee MA, Ali SF, Gonzalez C (2013) Prolactin and blood-brain barrier permeability. Curr Neurovasc Res 10(4):278–286

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Imam SZ, Trickler W, Kimura S, Binienda ZK, Paule MG, Slikker W Jr, Li S, Clark RA, Ali SF (2013) Neuroprotective efficacy of a new brain-penetrating C-Abl inhibitor in a murine Parkinson’s disease model. PLoS One 8(5):e65129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0065129

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by an appointment (H.R.-H.) to the Research Participation Program at the National Center for Toxicological Research administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the US Department of Energy and the US Food and Drug Administration.

Disclaimer The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Food and Drug Administration. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Syed F. Ali .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Rosas-Hernandez, H., Cuevas, E., Lantz, S.M., Paule, M.G., Ali, S.F. (2018). Isolation and Culture of Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells for In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Studies. In: Skaper, S. (eds) Neurotrophic Factors. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1727. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7571-6_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7571-6_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7570-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7571-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics