The blood-brain barrier (BBB), which shields the organ from blood-borne infections, toxins, and more, is created by steadfast connections called tight junctions between the endothelial cells that line its blood vessels. So effective is the barrier that most proteins and molecules cannot pass through; those that do generally require selective transport via specific receptors. A similar barrier—made up of epithelial cells and tight junctions—lines the intestine and stops the trillions of microbes present in the gut from escaping into the body. It’s known that the gut bacteria themselves control integrity of this intestinal barrier
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:34:42 +0000
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