Transferrin receptor on endothelium of brain capillaries (original) (raw)

• Letter
• Published: 08 November 1984
• Malcolm R. Brandon2,
• Simon V. Hunt3,
• Alan F. Williams1,
• Kevin C. Gatter4 &
• …
• David Y. Mason4

Nature volume 312, pages 162–163 (1984)Cite this article

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Abstract

The blood/brain barrier prevents the passive diffusion of proteins and metabolites from cerebral blood vessels into tissue spaces around neuronal and glial cells. To provide nutrients for these cells, transport mechanisms must exist and indeed have been demonstrated for metabolites1. We now show that monoclonal antibodies against rat and human transferrin receptors label blood capillaries in the brain but not in other tissues. In the rat this labelling occurs after injection of antibody into the blood, thus the receptors seem to be accessible at the endothelial surface. It is possible that transferrin receptors are expressed on these cells to allow transport of transferrin (and thus iron) into brain tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. MRC Cellular Immunology Unit, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
   Wilfred A. Jefferies & Alan F. Williams
2. School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
   Malcolm R. Brandon
3. Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
   Simon V. Hunt
4. Nuffield Department of Pathology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
   Kevin C. Gatter & David Y. Mason

Authors

1. Wilfred A. Jefferies
2. Malcolm R. Brandon
3. Simon V. Hunt
4. Alan F. Williams
5. Kevin C. Gatter
6. David Y. Mason

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Jefferies, W., Brandon, M., Hunt, S. et al. Transferrin receptor on endothelium of brain capillaries.Nature 312, 162–163 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/312162a0

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• Received: 11 May 1984
• Accepted: 05 September 1984
• Issue date: 08 November 1984
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/312162a0

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