The Blood-Nerve Barrier in Peripheral Nerve Injury, Repair, and Regeneration

The endoneurial environment of the peripheral nervous system is a physiologically specialized site, analagous to the central nervous system and other sites with specialized function that have been in some sense separated from the systemic circulation. The reasons for the phylogenetic development of a specialized endothelial barrier and relative impermeability of the perineurium have not been fully elucidated, nor has been the full understanding of the importance of this barrier in normal physiological function, peripheral nerve regeneration following injury, and effects of dysfunction or its role in peripheral neuropathy.