Abstract

In contrast to other organs, the CNS is surrounded by specialized barriers that limit its contact with immune cells and microbial products in the blood. However, such factors dynamically shape brain function in homeostasis and disease. Because of this unusual anatomy, the pathways of blood-brain communication are still poorly understood, while this understanding would provide fundamental insight into brain function regulation and neurological disease mechanisms.

The choroid plexus (CP) epithelium is a monolayer barrier tissue, which on the side facing the blood can sense such peripheral factors and on the side facing the brain, produces the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)–a liquid carrying nutrients and signaling molecules, which contacts nearly all brain cells, and ensures brain homeostasis. We study how the peripheral immune and microbial factors may shape brain function indirectly via regulation of the CSF properties at the CP epithelium in brain development, normal physiological function, aging, and disease. Our goal is to identify fundamental principles of physiological brain regulation by the peripheral factors to pave the way for future investigation of the gut-blood-CP-brain communication circuit in neurological disease.

A seminar from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences