Role of the Choroid Plexus in Health and Disease

This book highlights the importance of the choroid plexus, which forms the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and is the site of the major production of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The authors show that this barrier is crucial for maintaining important compositional differences between the blood plasma and the CSF. The choroid plexus epithelial cells also prevent the spread of infectious agents and other blood-borne entities to the brain tissue.  Chapter topics range from the production of CSF by electrolyte regulation in the choroid plexus, to details on the selectively transporting nature of this barrier. Further, the authors elaborate on the important roles of CSF in sustaining brain health by providing hydration, solutes, and nutrients to the brain tissue. Readers will also learn how CSF circulates signaling molecules within the compartments of the brain and removes waste products from the brain tissue. Elucidating the regulation of these processes in the choroid plexus is not only important for the readers’ understanding of normal brain development and function, but is also crucial for resolving a variety of cerebral challenges that lead to brain edema, as well as developing treatments for diseases. The book discusses disease models like hydrocephalus, sleep disorders, and age-related dementia. Its comprehensive coverage makes this volume a valuable resource for researchers in cell and neurophysiology, as well as graduate students of the neurosciences.