Studying the Permeation of FITC and FITC-Ferritin through an In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Model

Source: Fiandra, L., et al. In Vitro Permeation of FITC-loaded Ferritins Across a Rat Blood-brain Barrier: a Model to Study the Delivery of Nanoformulated Molecules. J. Vis. Exp. (2016). This video demonstrates a method to study permeation through an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model using astrocytes and endothelial cells on a membrane insert, with free FITC and FITC-loaded ferritin. FITC-ferritin bound to receptors on endothelial cells and crossed the membrane barrier to the lower chamber while free FITC showed restricted permeation and remained in the upper chamber.