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Related Concept Videos

Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Embryonic Connective Tissues01:20

Embryonic Connective Tissues

During early development, the embryo forms two types of connective tissues— the mesenchyme and mucoid connective tissue.
The mesenchyme is the first connective tissue that emerges in the developing embryo. It consists of loosely arranged multipotent mesenchymal cells and reticular fibers in the extracellular matrix. This loose arrangement allows easy migration of cells, which is essential for germ layer positioning, patterning, and organ morphogenesis during embryonic development. Mesenchyme is...
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane
10:00

In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane

Published on: November 28, 2019

Dynamic changes in amniotic tight junctions during pregnancy.

K Kobayashi1, T Inai, Y Shibata

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.

Placenta
|August 21, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Tight junctions (TJs) in the amniotic epithelium regulate amniotic fluid volume. Apoptosis between embryonic days 16 and 17 disrupts these TJs, leading to decreased amniotic fluid.

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane
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In Vitro Culture of Epithelial Cells from Different Anatomical Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane

Published on: November 28, 2019

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A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
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A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development

Published on: June 24, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Cell biology
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Epithelial tissues regulate fluid flux via tight junctions (TJs).
  • TJs have not been previously identified in the amniotic epithelium.
  • The amniotic membrane retains amniotic fluid during pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the presence and composition of TJs in the mouse amniotic epithelium.
  • To investigate the role of TJs in regulating amniotic fluid volume during pregnancy.
  • To explore the relationship between TJ changes, apoptosis, and amniotic fluid volume reduction.

Main Methods:

  • Freeze-fracture electron microscopy to visualize TJs.
  • Immunohistochemistry to identify TJ proteins (occludin, ZO-1, claudins).
  • In vitro permeability assays and apoptosis assays (Annexin V, TUNEL).

Main Results:

  • Strand-like TJs were identified in the mouse amniotic epithelium, composed of occludin, ZO-1, and claudins 1, 3, 4, and 7.
  • TJ component localization and solubility changed significantly between embryonic day 16 and 17, coinciding with a sharp decrease in amniotic fluid volume.
  • Increased amniotic membrane permeability and TJ component disorganization were observed on embryonic day 17, associated with apoptosis in amniotic epithelial cells.

Conclusions:

  • Amniotic TJs play a crucial role in maintaining amniotic fluid volume during gestation.
  • Apoptosis of amniotic epithelial cells between embryonic days 16 and 17 leads to TJ disruption.
  • These findings elucidate a mechanism for amniotic fluid regulation and volume changes during late pregnancy.