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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Prog Neurobiol. 2019 Aug 6;182:101679. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.101679

Figure 1. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption during ischemic stroke.

Figure 1.

Ischemia, caused by restricted blood flow, results in activation of microglia, leading to release of reactive oxidative species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, in turn compromising the integrity of BBB. Tight junction (TJ) proteins, such as occludin, junctional adhesion molecule (JAM), and zonula occludens (ZO), become also disrupted, further contributing to dysfunction of the BBB. Dysregulation of TJ proteins results in increased BBB permeability and entry of blood-borne substances and cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils, into the infarct zone and brain parenchyma.