Figure 1.

Cross section of capillary

Astrocyte

Capillary endothelium

Capillary
endothelium

Cross sectional view of the

capillary endothelium
showing tight junctions
connecting the endothelial
cells and the close proximity
of the astrocytic foot
processes

Endothelial tight
junctions

Figure 2. Cross sectional view of the capillary

endothelium in the intact blood-brain barrier.
Small (<500 Daltons) lipophilic molecules can
traverse the endothelial cells without impedance.
Polar molecules require transport proteins for
migration, which is energy requiring. Proteins
generally have receptor-mediated transport.