Histamine in brain capillaries.

A high amount of histamine was found in capillaries isolated by subcellular fractionation from the brain. In view of the important effects of histamine on vascular permeability in peripheral vessels, it was thought that histamine had a similar function in the cerebral vasculature. Intracarotic histamine infusion resulted in an enhanced pinocytosis of endothelial cells and te oedematous swelling of the astrocytic end-feet system. [3H]-Histamine, injected in the cerebral ventricles, accumulated in the capillary wall. Histamine and cimetidine activated hydroxyfatty acid and prostaglandin D2 synthesis in isolated brain capillaries. The possible function of the capillary histamine in the regulation of permeability of microvessels is discussed.