Phenomena and Processes

Capillary Permeability

The property of blood capillary ENDOTHELIUM that allows for the selective exchange of substances between the blood and surrounding tissues and through membranous barriers such as the BLOOD-AIR BARRIER; BLOOD-AQUEOUS BARRIER; BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER; BLOOD-NERVE BARRIER; BLOOD-RETINAL BARRIER; and BLOOD-TESTIS BARRIER. Small lipid-soluble molecules such as carbon dioxide and oxygen move freely by diffusion. Water and water-soluble molecules cannot pass through the endothelial walls and are dependent on microscopic pores. These pores show narrow areas (TIGHT JUNCTIONS) which may limit large molecule movement.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The property of blood capillary ENDOTHELIUM that allows for the selective exchange of substances between the blood and surrounding tissues and through membranous barriers such as the BLOOD-AIR BARRIER; BLOOD-AQUEOUS BARRIER; BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER; BLOOD-NERVE BARRIER; BLOOD-RETINAL BARRIER; and BLOOD-TESTIS BARRIER. Small lipid-soluble molecules such as carbon dioxide and oxygen move freely by diffusion. Water and water-soluble molecules cannot pass through the endothelial walls and are dependent on microscopic pores. These pores show narrow areas (TIGHT JUNCTIONS) which may limit large molecule movement.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

11 entry terms
  • Permeability, Capillary
  • Capillary Permeabilities
  • Permeabilities, Capillary
  • Microvascular Permeability
  • Permeability, Microvascular
  • Vascular Permeability
  • Microvascular Permeabilities
  • Permeabilities, Microvascular
  • Permeabilities, Vascular
  • Permeability, Vascular
  • Vascular Permeabilities

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

6 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings drug effects, ethics, genetics, immunology, physiology, radiation effects.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

coord IM with endogenous substance /metab (IM) or exogenous substance /pharmacokin (IM)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. G03w.143.330
  2. G09.330.165

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WG 700

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Capillary Permeability. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D002199. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D002199
  2. Capillary Permeability. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q71148212