Work Package 5

In vitro models of the neurovascular unit

Principal Investigator: Birger Brodin, Drug Transporters in ADME, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen

Investigate receptor expression and receptor-mediated transport in bovine in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier.
Investigation of blood-brain barrier permeability properties and localization of tight-junctions and receptors during oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reperfusion treatment, in both contact-coculture and monoculture in vitro
Investigate intercellular communication in the neurovascular unit and in particular elucidate the role of ATP in activation of specific purinergic receptor types and changes in intracellular calcium levels in primary bovine pericytes.
Generate and characterize an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier using human induced pluripotent stem cells in co-culture with other cell types of the neurovascular unit, such as astrocytes and pericytes. Such a model would have a wide array of research opportunities and would be an important tool in testing e.g. active drug transport and cell-to-cell interactions at the blood-brain barrier.