1. Mechanisms of blood-cerebrospinal fluid penetration by bacterial pathogens.
Mechanisms of blood-cerebrospinal fluid penetration by bacterial pathogens. Bacteria (purple) may invade the CNS via the BCSFB by transcellular penetration involving either pinocytosis or receptor-mediated mechanisms (A); by paracellular entry following the disruption of junctions (comprising tight junctions and adherens junctions) between choroidal epithelial cells, endothelial cells of veins/venules within the subarachnoid space, or the cells of the arachnoid membrane (B); and by the “Trojan horse” mechanism, where microbes may transmigrate with infected leukocytes (such as macrophages, as shown) (C).
Samantha J. Dando et al. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 2014; doi: /CMR