英文名：HBMEC (Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells人脑微血管内皮细胞是血脑屏障的主要组成成分，能够限制可溶性物质和细胞等从血液进入大脑。大脑微血管内皮细胞与外周内皮细胞相比具有一些相同特性。如：1）脑微血管内皮细胞存在许多细胞间紧密连接，产生很高的跨内皮阻抗，延迟细胞旁的通量；2）脑微血管内皮细胞缺乏内皮细胞的窗孔结构，其液相物质胞饮水平较低；3）脑微血管内皮细胞具有不对称定位酶和载体介导转运系统，从而产生 “两极分化”的表现型。 与外周内皮细胞相同，大脑微血管内皮细胞表面表达细胞粘附分子，调控白细胞进入大脑。由于微血管内皮细胞的器官特异性，内皮细胞通常取源于疾病研究的相关组织。

The brain microvascular endothelial cells are the major element of the blood-brain barrier and comprises the primary limitation to passage of substances, both soluble and cellular, from the blood into the brain. Brain microvascular endothelial cells utilize unique features that distinguish themselves from those of peripheral endothelial cells such as 1) numerous intercellular'tight junctions' that display high transendothelial electrical resistance and retard paracellular flux [1]; 2) absence of fenestrae and a reduced level of fluid-phase endocytosis [2] and 3) asymmetrically-localized enzymes and carrier-mediated transport systems that engender a truly 'polarized' phenotype [3]. Like peripheral endothelial cells, however, brain microvacular endothelial cells express cell adhesion molecules on their surface that regulate the extravasation of leukocytes into the brain. In view of the organ specificity of microvascular endothelial cells, endothelial cells should be derived from the tissue involved in the diseases one wishes to study.