Tight junction
Tight junctions leave no space in between the plasma membranes of adjacent cells. They are easily seen in intestinal epithelial cells and are also abundant in the ducts and cavities of glands, such as the liver pancreas and urinary bladder. Tight junctions form a continuous belt around the apical ends of the lateral surfaces of each cell, preventing the movement of fluids, ions and molecules between cells. Tight junctions also block the lateral movement of larger molecules like lipids and proteins within the membrane. The different concentrations of different kinds of integral proteins in the plasma membrane can then be maintained[1].
Claudins are the major transmembrane proteins of the tight junctions[2].
References
- ↑ Wayne M. Becker, Lewis J. Kleinsmith, Jeff Hardin, Gregory Paul Bertoni (2009), The World of the Cell, Pearson International Edition, 7th Edition, P.489
- ↑ Wayne M. Becker, Lewis J. Kleinsmith, Jeff Hardin, Gregory Paul Bertoni (2009), The World of the Cell, Pearson International Edition, 7th Edition, P.488