Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are segregated from systemic circulation by special barrier systems, namely, blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-nerve barrier (BNB). These barriers are not just the mechanical wall prohibiting the entrance of various toxic materials into the nervous system parenchyma but the sophisticated systems that select the necessary substances to enter and unnecessary waste to excrete, finally maintaining the homeostasis of CNS and PNS. Clinically, the control of inflammatory cells and cytokines at the level of BBB/BNB can develop a novel therapeutic strategy toward the inflammatory/autoimmune nervous system disorders including multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. In addition, elucidating the details of the BBB/BNB transport system is a very important step towards successful drug targeting to the brain and peripheral nerve parenchyma.
