Schmidley J W, Wissig S L
Microvasc Res. 1986 Nov;32(3):300-14. doi: 10.1016/0026-2862(86)90067-1.
We used the cationic dye ruthenium red to examine the distribution of anionic macro-molecules (presumably proteoglycans) in the basement membranes of the fenestrated capillaries and epithelium of the choroid plexus, and of the continuous capillaries forming the blood-brain barrier. Both the endothelial and epithelial basement membranes of choroid plexus displayed discrete, 10- to 20-nm-diameter, electron-dense sites after exposure to ruthenium red. These sites were similar in size, appearance, and distribution to those found in the vascular and epithelial basement membranes of a variety of tissues outside the central nervous system. In contrast, the basement membranes of continuous, blood-brain barrier capillaries did not display electron-dense sites following exposure to ruthenium red, even after measures had been taken to enhance penetration of the dye across the endothelial cells. The lack of discrete ruthenium red staining in the basement membrane of continuous blood-brain barrier capillaries could be due to a relative paucity of anionic macromolecules, or may be the result of the compact architecture of this particular basement membrane. Regardless of the final explanation, these findings suggest that the basement membrane of the blood-brain barrier, like its endothelium, is structurally (and perhaps functionally) unique.
我们使用阳离子染料钌红来检测有孔毛细血管和脉络丛上皮以及构成血脑屏障的连续毛细血管的基底膜中阴离子大分子（可能是蛋白聚糖）的分布。暴露于钌红后，脉络丛的内皮和上皮基底膜均显示出直径为10至20纳米的离散、电子致密位点。这些位点在大小、外观和分布上与中枢神经系统外各种组织的血管和上皮基底膜中的位点相似。相比之下，即使采取措施增强染料穿过内皮细胞的穿透性，连续的血脑屏障毛细血管的基底膜在暴露于钌红后也未显示出电子致密位点。连续血脑屏障毛细血管基底膜中缺乏离散的钌红染色可能是由于阴离子大分子相对较少，或者可能是这种特殊基底膜紧密结构的结果。无论最终解释如何，这些发现表明血脑屏障的基底膜与其内皮一样，在结构上（也许在功能上）是独特的。
