Border-Associated Immunity of the Central Nervous System， Mechanistic Insights and Disease Implications
10.11714/jsysu.med.YX20250115
- VernacularTitle:中枢神经系统边界免疫机制与疾病研究进展
- Author:
Xinyue WU
1
;
Nu ZHANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery， The First Affiliated Hospital， Sun Yat-sen University， Guangzhou 510080， China
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
central nervous system;
border structure;
border-associated immunity;
neuroimmune interaction;
immune microenvironment
- From:
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences)
2026;47(1):29-42
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The central nervous system （CNS） has long been regarded as an "immune privilege" region. However， evidence in the past decade has demonstrated that the CNS maintains intricate communication with the peripheral immune system through a series of border structures. These CNS border structures include meninges， choroid plexus， perivascular spaces， skull bone marrow， and deep cervical lymph nodes. They not only serve as physical barriers but also as niches enriched in immune cells， functioning as critical hubs for antigen drainage and signal transmission. Under homeostatic conditions， these structures work synergistically to sustain immune balance and neural function. In pathological states， they mediate inflammatory responses， immune cell recruitment， and tissue repair， playing pivotal roles in the initiation and progression of major CNS disorders such as ischemic stroke， tumors， infections， neuroinflammation， and neurodegenerative diseases. This review systematically summarizes the anatomical organization and immune features of CNS border structures， with a focus on their functions in both homeostatic and pathological conditions. Incorporating the latest research findings， we also explore their potential as therapeutic targets for CNS diseases.
