Blood vessels from the vasculature of mouse brains during postnatal development and from human brain tumors (hemangiomas) removed at biopsy were examined immunocytochemically by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or high-voltage transmission electron microscopy (HVEM) to determine the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). In the mouse brains, ICAM-1 was shown to be initially expressed on the luminal and abluminal endothelial cell (EC) surfaces on day 3 after birth. ICAM-1 intensity increased on the luminal EC surfaces and labeled vesiculotubular profiles (VTS, defined in the present report) between days 5 and 7. After 2 weeks and at 6 months after birth, ICAM-1 labeling was weak or absent on the luminal EC surfaces. The hemangiomas presented a strong ICAM-1 reaction product on the luminal EC surfaces of small and large blood vessels associated with the VTS, with a weaker labeling of the abluminal or adventitial aspects of larger blood vessels. TEM of vesiculovacuolar structures (VVOs) within ECs from arteries and veins also demonstrated reaction product for ICAM-1 labeling. Three-dimensional stereo-pair images in the HVEM enhanced the visualization of gold particles that were attached to the inner-delimiting membrane surfaces of EC VTS, and VVOs, respectively. These observations raise the possibility that the neonatal leukocytes and tumor cells may utilize these endothelial structures as a route across the developing and injured blood-brain barrier (BBB).