Defective Glucose Transport across the Blood-Brain Barrier as a Cause of Persistent Hypoglycorrhachia, Seizures, and Developmental Delay

Abstract

GLUCOSE (D-glucose) is an essential fuel for the brain and many other tissues. Five glucose-transporter proteins facilitate the diffusion of glucose across lipophilic plasma membranes.1 2 3 This process is saturable and stereospecific, but it is not concentrative, energy dependent, or influenced by sodium. In humans, the erythrocyte glucose transporter (type 1 glucose transporter) has been studied most extensively. It accounts for 2 to 5 percent of the erythrocyte-membrane protein and seems to be identical in molecular weight and antigenic properties to the glucose transporters in the endothelial cells of brain capillaries.4 5 6 7 Brain capillaries contain large amounts of messenger RNA for the . . .