Physiol-93B3: Briefly describe role of intercellular tight junctions.
Intercellular tight junctions are one type of intercellular connection
Structure of tight junctions:
- Found at the apical cell margins of epithelia, connected to the adherens junction (zonula adherens) below - Formed by ridges of each adjoining cell that adheres tightly at the cell junction, thus obliterating the space between them – This is facilitated by transmembrane proteins (Occludins, Claudins and Junctional adhesion molecules)
Function of tight junctions:
- (1) Gate/barrier function – Permits variable degree of paracellular passage of certain ion/solutes and H2O (“leakiness” varies depending on its protein makeup) - (2) Fence function – Prevents protein movement within the plane of the membrane, thus maintaining the different distribution of transporters/channels on the apical and BL membranes - (3) Endow tissue strength and stability by attaching cells together and to surrounding tissues