BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIMARY AND PASSAGED CULTURES OF PRIMATE BRAIN MICROVESSEL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Rhesus macaque monkey brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) were isolated and grown in culture in an effort to establish an appropriat e primate in vitro model of the endothelial component of the blood-bra in barrier. The presence of Factor VIII antigen, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, lactate dehydrogenanse, total protein, and the passive permeability properties was documented for both prima ry and passaged cultures. Primate BMECs were shown to exhibit similar morphological and biochemical properties described for other BMEC cult ure systems derived from other species. In addition, the passaged prim ate BMECs were particularly notable for the changes in enzyme activiti es and total protein that parallel age-dependent changes in brain capi llary endothelia. This study provides further support for the possible application of BMEC culture systems in investigations of blood-brain barrier functions under normal, aging, and diseased conditions.