Claudin-based barrier in simple and stratified cellular sheets.
For homeostasis in multicellular organisms, isolation and compartmentalisation of the internal environment are essential, and are established by various cellular sheets. For these cellular sheets to function as barriers, the intercellular route must be sealed. Recent advances reveal that claudins - major cell adhesion molecules in tight junctions - are directly involved in this intercellular sealing, not only in simple but also in stratified cellular sheets in vertebrates.
Tsukita
Shoichiro
S
Department of Cell Biology, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Yoshida-Konoe, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. htsukita@mfour.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Furuse
Mikio
M
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D062445:Claudin-1; D062506:Claudin-4; D004285:Dogs; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008954:Models, Biological; D019108:Tight Junctions
C568108:CLDN1 protein, human; C568157:CLDN4 protein, human; D062445:Claudin-1; D062506:Claudin-4; C568113:Cldn1 protein, mouse; C568158:Cldn4 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins