Cathepsins are the most abundant lysosomal proteases that are mainly found in acidic
endo/lysosomal compartments where they play a vital role in intracellular protein …

The vascular basement membrane contributes to the integrity of the blood-brain barrier
(BBB), which is formed by brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs). The BCECs receive …

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Yet therapeutic strategies
available to treat stroke are very limited. There is an urgent need to develop novel …

Background Cysteine cathepsins are normally found in the lysosomes where they are
involved in intracellular protein turnover. Their ability to degrade the components of the …

Cerebral endothelial cells and their linking tight junctions form a unique, dynamic and multi-
functional interface, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The endothelium is regulated by …

The main cause of cancer-related mortality, metastasis, is a complex, multi-step process.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) component of solid tumors has been implicated in metastatic …

The brain extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in both the developing and adult
brain by providing structural support and mediating cell‐cell interactions. In this review, we …

Components of the neurovascular unit (NVU) establish dynamic crosstalk that regulates
cerebral blood flow and maintain brain homeostasis. Here, we describe accumulating …

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a complex vascular structure consisting of microvascular
endothelial cells that line the vessel wall, astrocyte end‐feet, pericytes, as well as the basal …

The extracellular matrix proteoglycan (ECM) perlecan, also known as heparan sulfate
proteoglycan 2 or HSPG2, is one of the largest (> 200 nm) and oldest (> 550 M years) …