title: Transmembrane proteins of the tight junctions at the blood-brain barrier: structural and functional aspects.
abstract: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is formed by microvascular endothelial cells sealed by tetraspanning tight junction (TJ) proteins, such as claudins and TAMPs (TJ-associated marvel proteins, occludin and tricellulin). Claudins are the major components of the TJs. At the BBB, claudin-5 dominates the TJs by preventing the paracellular permeation of small molecules. On the other hand, TAMPs regulate the structure and function of the TJs; tricellulin may tighten the barrier for large molecules. This review aims at integrating and summarizing the most relevant and recent work on how the BBB is influenced by claudin-1, -3, -5, -12 and the TAMPs occludin and tricellulin, all of which are four-transmembrane TJ proteins. The exact functions of claudin-1, -3, -12 and TAMPs at this barrier still need to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Reiner F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Haseloff
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dithmer
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Hartwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolburg
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Roessle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: iblasig@fmp-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Ingolf E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Blasig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins
keywords: Blood–brain barrier; Claudin; Endothelial cells; Occludin; Tight junction; Tricellulin