Mouse brain capillaries, SEM

  • Izzat Suffian, Houmam Kafa, David McCarthy & Khuloud T. Al-Jamal
  • Digital Images
  • Online

Available online

view Mouse brain capillaries, SEM

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

You can use this work for any purpose, including commercial uses, without restriction under copyright law. You should also provide attribution to the original work, source and licence. Read more about this licence.

Credit

Mouse brain capillaries, SEM. Izzat Suffian, Houmam Kafa, David McCarthy & Khuloud T. Al-Jamal. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of capillaries or microvessels (red/green/brown 3D cylindrical structures) isolated from a mouse brain. Brain microvessels are characterised by the presence of neurovascular units, the building blocks of the blood brain barrier (a protective layer of cells that regulates entry of molecules to the brain). The neurovascular unit is made up of endothelial cells surrounded by other cell types which regulate the exchange of molecules between the blood and the brain. This together with the thin diameter of the capillary makes it difficult for circulating drugs to reach the brain. New approaches to brain drug delivery will be key to tackle many neurological disorders. Diameter of each blood vessel is approximately 5 micrometres.

Permanent link