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Astrocytic laminin regulates pericyte differentiation and maintains blood brain barrier integrity
Malfunction of the blood brain barrier (BBB) is implicated in disorders of the central nervous system. Here, Yao et al.show that astrocytic laminin maintains the integrity of the BBB by binding to integrin α2 receptors on BBB pericytes, thereby preventing their differentiation.
- Yao Yao
- , Zu-Lin Chen
- & Sidney Strickland
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| Open AccessFibrinogen-induced perivascular microglial clustering is required for the development of axonal damage in neuroinflammation
Multiple sclerosis is characterized by the activation of microglia cells. Davalos et al. investigate the early stages of neuroinflammation in mice and reveal that the plasma protein fibrinogen induces microglial clustering around the brain vasculature, which facilitates lesion formation and focal axonal damage.
- Dimitrios Davalos
- , Jae Kyu Ryu
- & Katerina Akassoglou
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| Open AccessBacterial Pili exploit integrin machinery to promote immune activation and efficient blood-brain barrier penetration
Group BStreptococcuscauses meningitis in newborn infants but how the bacterium crosses the blood-brain barrier is unknown. Here, the bacterial pili adhesion molecule, PilA, is shown to bind to collagen and promote binding of the bacteria to integrins expressed on the blood-brain endothelium.
- Anirban Banerjee
- , Brandon J. Kim
- & Kelly S. Doran