Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

blood-brain barrier

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.05 in modern English

Syllables: blood--brain bar-ri-er
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

5

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A highly selective, semipermeable interface between the blood and the brain's interstitial fluid that regulates the movement of molecules and ions into the central nervous system.

Example Sentences

"The brain and spinal cord are insulated by a tight cellular seal called the blood-brain barrier that prevents foreign chemicals from easily getting into the brain."
"It’s estimated only 0.1% of antibodies circulating in the bloodstream enter the brain – this also includes the therapeutic antibodies currently used in clinical trials. An approach my team is taking is to use ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, which increases the uptake of Alzheimer’s drugs or antibody fragments."

Inflected Forms

blood-brain barriers (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

astrocyte

Synonyms

BBB hematoencephalic barrier

Questions

What does blood-brain barrier mean?: A highly selective, semipermeable interface between the blood and the brain's interstitial fluid that regulates the movement of molecules and ions into the central nervous system.

How to pronounce blood-brain barrier

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