Study identifies major flaws in iBMEC-based models of the blood-brain barrier
A type of cell derived from human stem cells that has been widely used for brain research and drug development may have been leading researchers astray for years, according to a study from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
The cell, known as an induced Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cell (iBMEC), was first described by other researchers in 2012, and has been used to model the special lining of capillaries in the brain that is called the blood-brain barrier.
Many brain diseases, including brain cancers as well as degenerative and genetic disorders, could be much more treatable if researchers could get drugs across this barrier. For that and other reasons, iBMEC-based models of the barrier have been embraced as an important standard tool in brain research.
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Weill Cornell researchers detect key flaw in brain modeling
A type of cell derived from human stem cells that has been widely used for brain research and drug development may have been leading researchers astray for years, according to a study from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Lis Lab/Provided
Induced brain microvascular endothelial cells (IBMECs), top, cultured in 3D assume an epithelial organoid structure and express the epithelial cell marker EPCAM (purple). When they are reprogrammed by overexpression of ETV2, ERG and FLI1, they lose EPCAM expression, acquire vascular markers VE-Cad (red) and PECAM1 (green) and are able to fulfill the function of endothelial cells – forming blood vessels, shown in bottom image.
A type of cell derived from human stem cells that has been widely used for brain research and drug development may have been leading researchers astray for years, according to a study from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
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Dr. Michelle Thompson, a family medicine physician, at her home in Vienna, Ohio on Jan. 15, 2021. A growing number of programs aim to help doctors, nurses and medical students who are struggling with mental health issues during the pandemic. (Dustin Franz/The New York Times)
Abby Ellin
Dr. Michelle Thompson knows a lot about self-care. A family medicine physician in Vienna, Ohio, she specializes in lifestyle and integrative care, using both conventional and alternative therapies to help her patients heal. She also teaches medical personnel how to prevent and treat burnout.