Abstract
We are pleased to publish, in this special issue of the Journal of NeuroVirology, a series of articles that highlight the blood-brain barrier's (BBB) importance in brain defense and microbial pathogenesis. The multifaceted role of the barrier as an immune competent organ, as a protective barrier and as a regulator of blood to brain transport of vital nutrients, proteins, vitamins and electrolytes cannot be overstated. Knowledge of BBB function is certainly a central part of the field of Neurovirology. Thus, it is our intent to provide the reader with a broad range of information for each of these functions in the context of microbial neuropathogenesis. The works are divided into four parts in order to accommodate the plethora of functions and microbes that affect BBB biology. The sections include reviews of the functional biology and immunology of the BBB; the diverse roles played by the barrier in response to microbial infection; and the emerging role that chemokines and their receptors play in leukocyte trafficking into the central nervous system (CNS), as receptors for viral infection, and as perpetrators for disease. Although HIV/SIV infections are a focal point of the Journal's special issue on BBB function, the diversity of topics and pathogens covered provide a broad review of the field. The mechanisms of viral entry into the brain, the role that BBB immunity plays in leukocyte trafficking, and the influence of peripheral viral and cellular responses in altering barrier integrity are all highlighted in this monograph.