Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Tight Junctions

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...

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

Overview 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...

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

Overview 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...

Surface Membrane Barriers

Surface Membrane Barriers

The skin and mucous membranes serve as the primary line of defense against pathogens by providing both physical and chemical protection. These barriers are essential in preventing the entry and establishment of microbes, thereby maintaining the integrity of the host.
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...

Cells of the Epidermis

Cells of the Epidermis

The epidermis is made of four or five layers of epithelial cells, depending on its location in the body. From deep to superficial, these layers are the stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...

Anchoring Junctions

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:...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Effect of claudin-1 or -3 expression on cation and water channel properties of claudin-2.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research·2025

Same author

Special Issue "The Tight Junction and Its Proteins: From Structure to Pathologies".

International journal of molecular sciences·2024

Same author

Expression and Localization Profiles of Tight Junction Proteins in Immune Cells Depend on Their Activation Status.

International journal of molecular sciences·2024

Same author

A short guide to the tight junction.

Journal of cell science·2024

Same author

Clinical Significance of Claudin Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

International journal of molecular sciences·2022

Same author

Claudin targeting as an effective tool for directed barrier modulation of the viable epidermis.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Sensing of Barrier Tissue Disruption with an Organic Electrochemical Transistor

Sensing of Barrier Tissue Disruption with an Organic Electrochemical Transistor

Published on: February 10, 2014

Tight junctions form a barrier in human epidermis.

Nina Kirschner¹, Pia Houdek, Michael Fromm

¹Department of Dermatology and Venerology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

European Journal of Cell Biology

|August 25, 2010

Summary

Tight junctions (TJ) form a crucial skin barrier. In human skin, occludin and claudin-1 establish this barrier, which is altered in psoriatic lesions.

More Related Videos

Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale

Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale

Published on: May 28, 2021

Functional Assessment of Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Ion Permeability in Native Tissue by Ussing Chamber Technique

Functional Assessment of Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Ion Permeability in Native Tissue by Ussing Chamber Technique

Published on: May 26, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Sensing of Barrier Tissue Disruption with an Organic Electrochemical Transistor

Sensing of Barrier Tissue Disruption with an Organic Electrochemical Transistor

Published on: February 10, 2014

Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale

Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale

Published on: May 28, 2021

Functional Assessment of Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Ion Permeability in Native Tissue by Ussing Chamber Technique

Functional Assessment of Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Ion Permeability in Native Tissue by Ussing Chamber Technique

Published on: May 26, 2021

Area of Science:

Dermatology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Tight junctions (TJ) are vital cell-cell junctions forming paracellular barriers in epithelia.
Claudin-1 is a key TJ component, and its absence abolishes the barrier in mice.
The role of TJs in human skin barrier function remains controversial due to limited data.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the barrier function of TJs in healthy human skin.
To analyze TJ protein localization and barrier integrity in psoriatic skin lesions.
To clarify the role of TJs in human epidermal barrier homeostasis.

Main Methods:

Immunofluorescence staining for TJ proteins (occludin, claudin-1) in human skin.
Application of extracellular biotin-SH (557Da) to assess paracellular permeability.
Microscopic analysis of TJ protein localization and barrier function in healthy and psoriatic skin.

Main Results:

Occludin- and claudin-1-positive sites in the stratum granulosum form a functional barrier to extracellular biotin-SH in human skin.
Psoriatic skin lesions exhibit altered localization of TJ proteins compared to healthy skin.
The TJ barrier function and TJ protein localization are concurrently altered in psoriatic skin.

Conclusions:

Tight junctions, specifically involving occludin and claudin-1 in the stratum granulosum, are essential for human skin barrier function.
Psoriasis is associated with disrupted TJ protein localization and impaired barrier function.
These findings highlight the critical role of TJs in maintaining skin integrity and suggest their involvement in skin diseases like psoriasis.