Cholesterol and HD

An investigation into how HD affects cholesterol homeostasis

Cholesterol in the CNS

The CNS contains a large amount of cholesterol, as cholesterol is needed for the growth and maintenance of myelin, as well as neuron and glial cell membranes and for the formation of new connections between cells. However, the CNS is unique in that there is no evidence that it obtains any of its cholesterol from the blood. Instead, cells in the CNS synthesize all of their own cholesterol. In fact, the rate of cholesterol synthesis in the CNS exceeds the need for new cholesterol, so that some cholesterol must move out of the CNS through excretory pathways.

It is not easy for molecules to enter the CNS. Tightly joined endothelial cells found in the capillary network within the brain prevent many molecules from moving from the blood to the CNS. This blood-brain barrier makes it unlikely that cholesterol carried in lipoproteins could reach the CNS unless there were specific transporters in the endothelial cells of the vessel walls. Currently there is no evidence that existing transporters in those endothelial cells actively uptake lipoprotein-transported cholesterol.

Last Modified: 07/07/2007

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