STRATTON LABORATORY

Our research interests are inspired by the complex and context-dependent interactions of immune cells within the nervous system.
 
In recent years, an appreciation for the nuances of the “immune-privileged” nature of the brain has come to light, and in fact, it is now recognised that peripheral immune cells do enter the CNS and actively patrol and regulate this organ, particularly in the interconnected perivascular & cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) spaces. The borders of the brain that allow these immune cells into the perivascular/CSF spaces are highly dynamic, adaptable and have complex mechanisms that govern these processes. These borders include the blood-CSF barriers at the meningeal, choroid and circumventricular organ (CVO) interfaces. Secondary to these blood borders, and potentially just as important, there is another layer of “border” regulation that largely excludes peripheral immune cells from the CNS tissue parenchyma, restricting them to the perivascular/CSF space. This includes the ependyma that borders the ventricles, and the pia limitans at the brain surface / penetrating vessels (as well as the transition zones on either side), which together provide semi-permeable borders between the brain’s interstitial fluid and CSF/perivascular spaces.  These “secondary” border cells are complex; are heterogenous across the CNS; have a plethora of proposed functions; and express a multitude of channels, carrier proteins, as well as, in some instances, sensory or motile cilia. 

My labs overarching aim is to understand the mechanisms underlying how CSF border cells function in normal health as well as how they respond to insult, as we age, under inflammatory conditions, in genetic conditions, or in progressive brain diseases. By better understanding these mechanisms, my long-term goal is to better inform treatment targets.