An in vitro model of traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem causing high mortality globally. Methods to increase possibilities for treatment and prevention of secondary injuries resulting from the initial physical insult are thus much needed. TBI affects the central nervous system (CNS) and the neurovascular unit as a whole in numerous ways but one of the primarily compromised components is the blood–brain barrier (BBB). In this chapter, we present a detailed procedure on how stretch injury and oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) are applied to brain microvascular endothelial cells of the BBB in order to replicate the actual impact they receive during TBI.