TY - JOUR T1 - B. THE LOCALIZATION OF MONOAMINERGIC BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER MECHANISMS JF - Pharmacological Reviews JO - Pharmacol Rev SP - 369 LP - 385 VL - 18 IS - 1 AU - A. Bertler AU - B. Falck AU - Ch. Owman AU - E. Rosengrenn Y1 - 1966/03/01 UR - http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/18/1/369.abstract N2 - The passage of dopa and dopamine into the mouse brain has been studied with a combination of chemical determination and histochemical localization of certain monoamines and their precursors. L-Dopa, but not D-dopa or dopamine, readily penetrates into the capillary walls. These contain dopa decarboxylase and MAO, which impede the further passage of L-dopa into the brain. None of the compounds can pass into the endothelial lining of noncapillary intracerebral vessels. A free passage occurs in peripheral tissues as well as in brain areas known to be located beyond the blood-brain barrier. The results demonstrate the existence of specialized brain barrier mechanisms at the vascular level. ER -