title: Tight junctions in the skin.
abstract: Tight junctions (=zonulae occludentes, TJs) function as an effective barrier in simple epithelia. Recent developments in the molecular biology of TJs revealed that TJs also exist in the stratum granulosum and contribute to barrier function in epidermis. Furthermore, several TJ-related junctions were identified in epidermis. In this review article, the history of the investigation into TJs in epidermis and the perspectives of investigation into TJs in dermatology are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan. kamorita@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyachi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology*