Abstract
The cerebral microcirculation (small arterioles, capillaries and venules) is a primary intermediary for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in the brain. This regulatory capacity, residing principally within the microvessel endothelial cell, encompasses functional aspects of the blood-brain barrier (1), production of vasoactive eicosanoids (2) and receptor binding (3). Stability of the endothelial cell membrane is, therefore, essential to cerebral homeostasis and proper neuronal function. Advanced cellular aging can be associated with destabilization of the plasma membrane as a result of changes in constituent lipids and proteins (4). Age-associated changes in phospholipid composition of neuronal membranes have been reported (5-7), and recently Tayarani et al. (8) have demonstrated age-related differences in the relative percent of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the rat brain capillaries. Phospholipids and their constituent unsaturated fatty acids may be especially prone to catabolic processes within the endothelial cell as a result of persistent oxidative stress (9). The present study was, therefore, designed to assess whether microvessel membranes exhibit changes in phosphoglyceride composition and degree of fatty acid unsaturation with advancing age in the mouse.
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