Tight junctions: from simple barriers to multifunctional molecular gates

C Zihni, C Mills, K Matter, MS Balda - Nature reviews Molecular cell …, 2016 - nature.com
C Zihni, C Mills, K Matter, MS Balda
Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 2016nature.com
Epithelia and endothelia separate different tissue compartments and protect multicellular
organisms from the outside world. This requires the formation of tight junctions, selective
gates that control paracellular diffusion of ions and solutes. Tight junctions also form the
border between the apical and basolateral plasma-membrane domains and are linked to the
machinery that controls apicobasal polarization. Additionally, signalling networks that guide
diverse cell behaviours and functions are connected to tight junctions, transmitting …
Abstract
Epithelia and endothelia separate different tissue compartments and protect multicellular organisms from the outside world. This requires the formation of tight junctions, selective gates that control paracellular diffusion of ions and solutes. Tight junctions also form the border between the apical and basolateral plasma-membrane domains and are linked to the machinery that controls apicobasal polarization. Additionally, signalling networks that guide diverse cell behaviours and functions are connected to tight junctions, transmitting information to and from the cytoskeleton, nucleus and different cell adhesion complexes. Recent advances have broadened our understanding of the molecular architecture and cellular functions of tight junctions.
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