Compared to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), other barriers that interface brain fluids, i.e. the choroid plexus in the cerebral ventricles and the leptomeninges that envelope the brain, are much less studied. These intracranial structures play important roles in regulation of pathogen and immune cell access to the central nervous system (CNS) and clearance of toxic substances from the CNS space. Dysfunction of immunological and solute clearance pathways are currently thought to contribute significantly to the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration associated with aging, with the most prominent examples being Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. However, precise mechanisms of this dysfunction and the individual roles of specific components of these barriers remain poorly understood.

This Research Topic aims to review and expand current knowledge about the CSF-blood barrier at the choroid plexus and meninges, with a focus on their role in various neurodegenerative diseases. We welcome a broad scope of articles including Review Articles and Original Research manuscripts addressing the following topics:

- General physiology and anatomy of the meninges including meningeal blood vasculature in animal models and in humans.

- Role of the extracellular matrix in meningeal function.

- New approaches to in vivo studies of CSF circulation and protein clearance in larger animal models.

- Cellular and molecular mechanisms of protein biomarker clearance by choroid plexus and meninges.

- Intracellular degradation of relevant toxic proteins via endocytic pathways by cells comprising CSF-blood barrier and by immune cells.

- In vivo and in vitro studies of vesicular transport by any endothelial/epithelial cells of CSF-blood barrier tissues.

- Identification and characterization of genes and proteins associated with reduced protein clearance via CSF-blood barrier tissues.

- Role of exosome function for choroid plexus and meninges

- Therapeutic approaches targeting CSF-blood barrier in neurodegeneration

- Gene-therapy approaches to CSF-blood barrier function

Articles on the glymphatic system are out of the scope of this topic unless there is direct connection to CSF-blood barrier.

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Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

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