title: The molecular physiology of tight junction pores.
abstract: Tight junctions form selective barriers that regulate paracellular transport across epithelia. A large family of tetraspanning cell-cell adhesion proteins called claudins create the barrier and regulate electrical resistance, size, and ionic charge selectivity. Study of inherited human claudin diseases and the outcome of the genetic manupulation of claudins in mice, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans are furthering our understanding of paracellular physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. jandersn@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Van Itallie
authors.forename: James Melvin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins