title: SnapShot: Epithelial tight junctions.
abstract: Tight junctions form a morphological and functional border between the apical and basolateral cell surface domains that serves as a paracellular diffusion barrier, enabling epithelial cells to separate compartments of different composition. Tight junctions also contribute to the generation and maintenance of cell polarity and regulate signaling mechanisms that guide cell behavior, shape, and gene expression. This SnapShot illustrates their components, organization, and functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, EC1V 9EL London, UK.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matter
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, EC1V 9EL London, UK.
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Balda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016764:Cell Polarity; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D010539:Permeability; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*