A NEW ASTROCYTIC CELL-LINE WHICH IS ABLE TO INDUCE A BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER PROPERTY IN CULTURED BRAIN CAPILLARY ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Astrocytes, a member of the glial cell family in the central nervous s ystem, are assumed to play a crucial role in the formation of the bloo d-brain barrier (BBB) in vertebrates. It was shown that astrocytes ind uce BBB-properties in brain capillary endothelial cells (BCEC) in vitr o. We now established an astroglial cell line of non-tumoral origin. T he cloned cell line (A7) shows a highly increased proliferation rate a nd expresses the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein. Fu rthermore, the clone A7 expresses S-100-protein and vimentin, which ar e also expressed by primary cultured astrocytes. This cell line theref ore shows general astrocytic features. In addition, we were able to sh ow that A7 cells re-induce the BBB-related marker enzyme alkaline phos phatase in BCEC, when these two cell types are co-cultured. Thus we ha ve a cell line which can be readily cultured in large quantities, show s common astrocyte properties and is able to influence BCEC with respe ct to a BBB-related feature.