Cell adhesion, cell junctions and the blood-brain barrier.

The blood-brain barrier regulates the movement of molecules and cells between the circulation and the CNS. Modulation of this barrier may be critical in the aetiology of various CNS pathologies. Endothelial cell tight junctions are an essential part of the barrier, and recent advances have been made in understanding how specific intracellular signalling events regulate cell-cell adhesion and tight-junction permeability.