Assessing Transendothelial Electrical Resistance in an In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Model

Begin with a membrane insert containing mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells, resembling an in vitro blood-brain barrier.

Place this insert into a transendothelial electrical resistance or TEER instrument well containing an embedded electrode.

Add fresh media to the lower compartment.

Place the lid with electrodes over the TEER wells, then put the instrument in an incubator and connect it to a recording system.

The electrodes generate an electrical current across the cell layer for measurement of transendothelial resistance.

Intact junctional proteins between the cells impede the flow of current, resulting in a higher TEER value.

Disconnect the instrument and remove it.

Disassemble the lid, remove some medium from the upper compartment, and add pre-activated T cells. Reassemble the instrument for TEER measurement.

Activated T cells interact with the endothelial cells, releasing inflammatory factors and cytolytic enzymes, disrupting the junctional integrity.

This disruption increases electrical current flow, resulting in a lower TEER value.