Although neurons attract the most attention in neurobiology, our current knowledge of neural circuit can only partially explain the neurological and psychiatric conditions of the brain. Thus, it is also important to consider the influence of brain interstitial system (ISS), which refers to the space among neural cells and capillaries. The ISS is the major compartment of the brain microenvironment that provides the immediate accommodation space for neural cells, and it occupies 15% to 20% of the total brain volume. The brain ISS is a dynamic and complex space connecting the vascular system and neural networks and it plays crucial roles in substance transport and signal transmission among neurons. Investigation of the brain ISS can provide new perspectives for understanding brain architecture and function and for exploring new strategies to treat brain disorders. This review discussed the anatomy of the brain ISS under both physiological and pathological conditions, biophysical modeling of the brain ISS and in vivo measurement and imaging techniques, including recent findings on brain ISS divisions. Moreover, the implications of ISS knowledge for basic neuroscience and clinical applications are addressed.

尽管神经元在神经生物学中吸引了最多的关注，但是我们目前对神经回路的了解只能部分解释大脑的神经和精神病情况。因此，考虑大脑间质系统（ISS）的影响也很重要，后者是指神经细胞和毛细血管之间的空间。ISS是大脑微环境的主要部分，为神经细胞提供直接的容纳空间，它占据了大脑总体积的15％至20％。大脑国际空间站是连接血管系统和神经网络的动态复杂空间，在神经元之间的物质运输和信号传递中起着至关重要的作用。对脑ISS的研究可以为了解脑结构和功能以及探索治疗脑部疾病的新策略提供新的见解。这篇综述讨论了生理和病理条件下的脑部ISS的解剖结构，脑部ISS的生物物理模型以及体内测量和成像技术，包括脑部ISS部门的最新发现。此外，还介绍了ISS知识对基础神经科学和临床应用的影响。