The fenestrae-associated protein Plvap regulates the rate of blood-borne protein passage into the hypophysis.

To maintain body homeostasis, endocrine systems must detect and integrate blood-borne peripheral signals. This is mediated by fenestrae, specialized permeable pores in the endothelial membrane. Plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein (Plvap) is located in the fenestral diaphragm and is thought to play a role in the passage of proteins through the fenestrae.

Robo2 regulates synaptic oxytocin content by affecting actin dynamics.

The regulation of neuropeptide level at the site of release is essential for proper neurophysiological functions. We focused on a prominent neuropeptide, oxytocin (OXT) in the zebrafish as an in vivo model to visualize and quantify OXT content at the resolution of a single synapse. We found that OXT-loaded synapses were enriched with polymerized actin.

Pituicyte Cues Regulate the Development of Permeable Neuro-Vascular Interfaces.

The hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system (HNS) regulates homeostasis through the passage of neurohormones and blood-borne proteins via permeable blood capillaries that lack the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Why neurohypophyseal capillaries become permeable while the neighboring vasculature of the brain forms BBB remains unclear. We show that pituicytes, the resident astroglial cells of the neurohypophysis, express genes that are associated with BBB breakdown during neuroinflammation.