Pathophysiology of the cochlear intrastrial fluid-blood barrier

X Shi - Hearing research, 2016 - Elsevier
The blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) in the stria vascularis is a highly specialized capillary
network that controls exchanges between blood and the intrastitial space in the cochlea. The
barrier shields the inner ear from blood-born toxic substances and selectively passes ions,
fluids, and nutrients to the cochlea, playing an essential role in the maintenance of cochlear
homeostasis. Anatomically, the BLB is comprised of endothelial cells (ECs) in the strial
microvasculature, elaborated tight and adherens junctions, pericytes (PCs), basement …