Chapter 3: Blood-brain Barrier (BBB): An Overview of the Research of the Blood-brain Barrier Using Microfluidic Devices Check Access

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a unique feature of the human body, preserving brain homeostasis and preventing toxic substances entering the brain. However, in various neurodegenerative diseases, the function of the BBB is disturbed. Mechanisms of the breakdown of the BBB are incompletely understood and therefore a realistic model of the BBB is essential. This chapter highlights the anatomy and physiology of the BBB and gives an overview of the current available in vitro models to study the BBB in detail. Proof-of-concept work of BBB-on-Chips is described. Additionally, examples are given to optimize the present devices by engineering the microenvironment to better mimic the in vivo situation. This combination of biomedical science and micro-engineering will generate exciting new results in the field of neurovascular biology.