| The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002. |
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| blood-brain barrier |
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| The separation of the brain, which is bathed in a clear cerebrospinal fluid, from the bloodstream. The cells near the capillary beds external to the brain selectively filter the molecules that are allowed to enter the brain, creating a more stable, nearly pathogen-free environment. | 1 |
| ‡ Oxygen, glucose, and white blood cells are molecules that are able to pass through this barrier. Red blood cells cannot. | 2 |
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| | | The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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