Characteristics of the nerve barrier and the blood dorsal root ganglion barrier in health and disease

Abstract A variety of barriers ensures the protection of the peripheral nervous system from noxious blood-borne or surrounding stimuli. In this review, anatomy and functioning of the blood nerve barrier (BNB) and the blood DRG barrier (BDB) will be presented and key tight junction proteins described: ZO-1, claudin-1, −3, −5, −11, −12, −19, occludin, and tricellulin. Different diseases can lead to or be accompanied by nerve barrier disruption and impairment of nerve barriers worsens pathology. Peripheral nerve injury, diabetic neuropathy and inflammatory polyneuropathy cause an increased permeability of BNB and BDB. Knowledge and understanding of these mechanisms might ultimately lead to the invention of drugs to control barrier function to help ameliorating neurological diseases.