A comparison of the induction of immortalized endothelial cell impermeability by astrocytes

The suitability of various commercially available endothelial cell lines in studies of astrocytic/endothelial cell interactions was assessed. The endo thelial-like cell line ECV304 was compared with T24/83, Eahy929, and b.End5 and rat cerebral endothelial cells in their ability, when co-cultured with rat (Cb) glioma cells, to form a transendothelial electrical resistance (T EER), an indicator of tight junction formation which is an important proper ty of the blood-brain barrier. As reported previously, the basal TEER of EC V304 cell monolayers was significantly enhanced upon co-culture, an effect reproduced by human 1321N1 astrocytes and primary rat astrocytes. T24/83 ce lls formed a patchy, gapped monolayer, which produced a poor basal TEER wit h little in the way of an increase upon coculture. Similarly, all the other cell monolayers analysed demonstrated poor TEERs that were only moderately increased upon co-culture. These data confirm that while no endothelial ce ll line with ideal features is available, ECV304 cells remain an appropriat e choice especially for studies of astrocyte/endothelial cell interactions. NeuroReport 12:1329-334 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.