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Dissectible Me 5 minute anatomy

Blood brain barrier

February 13 · 5 min · Episode 191 · 11.4 MB
0:00-5:56

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The blood brain barrier describes how the endothelial cells of the capillaries in the brain are tightly stuck together by tight junctions, wrapped in the feet of astrocytes and lined by a basement lamina. This stops most molecules from moving between the blood and the brain through any gaps. Instead, transporters are needed to transport molecules across the endothelial cells. Why does this happen in the brain? How does ethanol get to the brain?