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Brain Wardens
02 September 2013

Brain Wardens

How does the brain protect itself? A protective barrier around the blood vessels prevents all but the smallest of molecules from invading. This keeps pathogens out but elements of the immune system too. The brain compensates for this shortage with its own long, branched immune cells (above) whose ‘fingers’ continuously monitor the surroundings. Should these cells encounter an unusual signal, perhaps from an ailing brain cell, invading pathogen or broken blood vessel, they morph to become rounded and mobile. When they reach the problem they change again, this time into a cell that can engulf and destroy foreign material. Here, using cell culture and 3D modelling, researchers demonstrate these super-immune cells are derived not from the brain but from a primitive blood cell. This goes some way to explain why they are similar to several other regular immune cells.

Written by Julie Webb

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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