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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Analysis of Protein-protein Interactions and Co-localization Between Components of Gap, Tight, and Adherens Junctions in Murine Mammary Glands
Published on: May 30, 2017
Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs) are differentially expressed in fibroblasts and co-localize with ZO-1 to
Andrew P Morris1, Ahmad Tawil, Zuzana Berkova
1Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, University of Texas at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Abstract:
Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs) are components and regulators of the well-characterized epithelial and endothelial tight junction. Since the molecular components of native fibroblast adherens-like junctions remain poorly described we determined JAM expression profiles in fibroblasts. We found JAM-C on human dermal, lung, and corneal primary fibroblast cultures. Within murine lines, JAM-A was found in L-cells, JAM-C in 3T3 L1 cells, and both JAM-A and JAM-C were co-expressed in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. In primary dermal fibroblasts, JAM-C concentrated at zipper-like junctions that formed between apposing cells. Dual immunostaining showed JAM-C co-localization with the ZO-1 intracellular scaffolding molecule at cell contacts that ranged from 7 microm to over 25 microm in length. JAM-C also labeled similar zipper-like junctions detected with N-Cadherin and Cadherin-11 antibodies. We conclude that endogenous JAM-C is an integral component of the dermal fibroblast adherens-like junction, and our data extend the expression and potential function of JAMs into mesenchymal tissues.
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