title: Possible involvement of tight junctions, extracellular matrix and nuclear receptors in epithelial differentiation.
abstract: Tight junctions are intercellular junctions localized at the most apical end of the lateral plasma membrane. They consist of four kinds of transmembrane proteins (occludin, claudins, junctional adhesion molecules, and tricellulin) and huge numbers of scaffolding proteins and contribute to the paracellular barrier and fence function. The mutation and deletion of these proteins impair the functions of tight junctions and cause various human diseases. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent studies on transmembrane proteins of tight junctions and highlight the functional significance of tight junctions, extracellular matrix, and nuclear receptors in epithelial differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichikawa-Tomikawa
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Seiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satohisa
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiura
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chiba
mesh_terms: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D057167:Claudins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D062726:Junctional Adhesion Molecules; D062794:MARVEL Domain Containing 2 Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D062793:Occludin; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D057167:Claudins; D062726:Junctional Adhesion Molecules; D062794:MARVEL Domain Containing 2 Protein; C516798:MARVELD2 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C568985:OCLN protein, human; D062793:Occludin; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear