Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Physiology

Double function at the blood–brain barrier

Nature volume 509, pages 432–433 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

Two aspects of the blood–brain barrier — the transport of lipids to the brain and the transport of molecules across cells lining blood vessels — have been shown to be regulated by the same protein, Mfsd2a. See Letters p.503 & p.507

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, this cellular interface helps to maintain a constant, optimal environment for neuronal function through a combination of barriers and selective transport systems that regulate the passage of wanted and unwanted molecules. But on the other hand, it presents a formidable challenge to medicine because it stops most drugs from passing from the bloodstream to the brain. Two papers in this issue add considerably to our rudimentary understanding of the BBB: Nguyen et al.1 (page 503) unravel how an essential omega-3 fatty acid is transported across it, and Ben-Zvi et al.2 (page 507) identify a mechanism involved in suppressing the vesicle-mediated transfer of blood-plasma constituents to the brain.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Dual role for Mfsd2a.

References

  1. Nguyen, L. N. et al. Nature 509, 503–506 (2014).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ben-Zvi, A. et al. Nature 509, 507–511 (2014).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Shi, Y. Annu. Rev. Biophys. 42, 51–72 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Law, C. J., Maloney, P. C. & Wang, D.-N. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 62, 289–305 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kadereit, B. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 94–99 (2008).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Reiling, J. H. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 108, 11756–11765 (2011).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Esnault, C. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 17532–17537 (2008).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Toufaily, C. et al. Placenta 34, 85–88 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Berger, J. H., Charron, M. J. & Silver, D. L. PLoS ONE 7, e50629 (2012).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kidd, P. M. Altern. Med. Rev. 12, 207–227 (2007).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Armulik, A. et al. Nature 468, 557–561 (2010).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Daneman, R., Zhou, L., Kebede, A. A. & Barres, B. A. Nature 468, 562–566 (2010).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dragsten, P. R., Blumenthal, R. & Handler, J. S. Nature 294, 718–722 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. van Meer, G. & Simons, K. EMBO J. 5, 1455–1464 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christer Betsholtz is in the Department of Immunology, and the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75185, Sweden, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,

    Christer Betsholtz

Authors
  1. Christer Betsholtz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christer Betsholtz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Betsholtz, C. Double function at the blood–brain barrier. Nature 509, 432–433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13339

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13339

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing