Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026
09:59
Single-cell Microinjection for Cell Communication Analysis
Published on: February 26, 2017
Discovering the molecular components of intercellular junctions--a historical view
1Helmholtz Group for Cell Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. w.franke@dkfz.de
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|January 13, 2010
Summary
Metazoan organization relies on cell junctions, crucial for tissue function. Recent decades revealed the molecular details of four major vertebrate cell junction types: desmosomes, adherens, tight junctions (TJs), and gap junctions (GJs).
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Histology
Background:
- Metazoan organization depends on tissue formation and function, underpinned by cell-cell connecting structures.
- Vertebrate tissues utilize four primary classes of cell junctions for structural integrity and communication.
Observation:
- Desmosomes and adherens junctions utilize cadherins for cell adhesion, linking to cytoskeletal filaments via protein plaques.
- Tight junctions (TJs) and gap junctions (GJs) are formed by tetraspan proteins, creating seal bands or channels for molecular exchange.
Findings:
- The molecular composition of desmosomes, adherens junctions, TJs, and GJs has been elucidated over the past thirty years.
- Cadherins mediate cell adhesion in desmosomes and adherens junctions, while claudins, occludins, and connexins form TJs and GJs.
Implications:
- Understanding these junction types is fundamental to comprehending tissue architecture and physiological processes.
- The parallel discovery of these junction protein families offers insights into cellular communication and tissue development.
More Related Videos
11:31Analysis of Protein-protein Interactions and Co-localization Between Components of Gap, Tight, and Adherens Junctions in Murine Mammary Glands
Published on: May 30, 2017
13:22Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
Published on: November 2, 2011
Related Concept Videos
01:03Anchoring 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:...
01:14Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions
The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another cell. These cell junctions are classified into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
01:14Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions
The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another cell. These cell junctions are classified into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
01:24Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions
The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...
01:24Adherens 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...
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
01:29Tight 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...