Abstract
Vascularization of tissues is primordial for their oxygenation and regeneration. In the case of the human brain, the challenge starts with the reproduction of the heavily selective blood–brain barrier (BBB). Engineered brain models are upgrading, passing from classical in vitro two-dimensional cultures to tridimensional (3D) gel cocultures. Compared to monoculture, using all three cell types constituting the BBB (endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes) was seen to enhance the barrier integrity. In 3D models the addition of extracellular matrix can guide the templated or self-organized angiogenesis. The latest progresses in BBB tissue engineering predict exciting applications for drug delivery, toxicity studies, comprehension of neurodegenerative diseases, and at longer term clinical regeneration of cerebral vascularization. In this chapter, after a short introduction on the biological specificities of the BBB, we will progressively explore the range of BBB engineered models and discuss on their foreseen translational medical applications.
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