Francisco Nualart, Lauren Mack, Andrea García, Pedro Cisternas, Ernesto R Bongarzone, Marjet Heitzer, Nery Jara, Fernando Martínez, Luciano Ferrada, Francisca Espinoza, Victor Baeza, Katterine Salazar
Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient in the human diet; its deficiency leads to a number of symptoms and ultimately death. After entry into cells within the central nervous system (CNS) through sodium vitamin C transporters (SVCTs) and facilitative glucose transporters (GLUTs), vitamin C functions as a neuromodulator, enzymatic cofactor, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger; it also stimulates differentiation. In this review, we will compare the molecular and structural aspects of vitamin C and glucose transporters and their expression in endothelial or choroid plexus cells, which form part of the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier, respectively...
May 19, 2014: Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy