In the last five decades, brain endothelial cells (ECs) have been studied extensively from a blood-brain-barrier (BBB) perspective. However, there has been limited success in developing an EC-based approach for prognostic or therapeutic applications in treating brain inflammation. ECs in the brain are not only confined to BBB, but diverse EC subpopulations are present in the cortex, ventricle, arachnoid spaces and elsewhere. How these EC populations are distinct and functionally critical, is not well-characterized. Endothelial stress and dysfunction are implicated in multiple brain-related diseases such as dementia, stroke, traumatic brain injury etc. However, tracking EC-derived factors in predicting the disease or targeted therapy in restoring endothelial function, remained poorly addressed so far. In this research topic, we will address this gap in the field and emphasize on the translational significance of brain ECs.

This Research Topic aims to address the following broad questions:

1. How cutting-edge technologies (single cell RNAseq, spatial transcriptomics, RNAscope, high definition imaging, multiplexed cytometry etc) revolutionize the field, generate meaningful knowledge and contribute towards understanding the neurovascular homeostasis of brain and the role ECs play in this process.

2. How brain ECs could be considered or exploited to develop biomarkers or treat specific diseases. These may include, but are not limited to targeting the BBB for therapeutic delivery or screen EC-derived factors for prognostic purpose.

We seek high quality articles addressing future directions, opinions on possible EC-driven biomarker development and therapeutic approach as well as original research that emphasizes prognostic or therapeutic approaches in specific diseases associated to the brain.

We are particularly interested in Review, Mini-review, Original Research and Brief Research Report articles, although relevant articles of any type will be considered. Submissions to this Research Topic may consider, but are not limited to, the following research themes:

• Role of ECs in specific pathophysiology (congenital/developmental and nongenetic like traumatic brain injury, sickle cell disease etc) of the developing brain (in utero or pediatric)

• Role of ECs in specific pathophysiology of the developed/adult brain (vascular dementia, stroke, traumatic brain injury etc)

• Targeted drug delivery in brain or targeting blood-brain-barrier (BBB) for therapeutic purpose.

• Analyzing BBB or brain endothelium-derived proteins for biomarker/prognostic development

We accept different article types including Perspectives and Opinions. A full list of accepted article types, including descriptions, can be found at this link.

Descriptive studies (e.g. gene expression profiles, or transcript, protein, or metabolite levels under particular conditions or in a particular cell type) and studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic / transcriptomic data do not fall within the scope of the journal unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied.

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Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

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