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...

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...

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:...

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

EpiATLAS - a reference for human epigenomic research.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Nasal floor wound coverage with an absorbable collagen matrix after revision endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery: a case report.

International journal of surgery case reports·2026

Same author

Acute and Second-Meal Effects of Oat Products on Postprandial Glucose Responses in Healthy Japanese Adults: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study.

Food science & nutrition·2026

Same author

From Vulnerability to Invisible Infrastructure: A Scoping Review of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) in Disasters for Super-Aging Society.

The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine·2026

Same author

Feeding with resistant maltodextrin suppresses excessive calorie intake in a high-fat diet, mediated by changes in mouse gut microbiota composition, appetite-related gut hormone secretion, and neuropeptide transcriptional levels.

Frontiers in microbiomes·2026

Same author

Avenanthramide C From Oats Possibly Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Journal of food science·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Published on: July 14, 2017

Tight junction regulates epidermal calcium ion gradient and differentiation.

Masumi Kurasawa¹, Tetsuo Maeda, Ai Oba

¹Pola Chemical Industries Inc., 560 Kashio-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama 244-0812, Japan.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

|February 19, 2011

Summary

The epidermal tight junction (TJ) controls calcium ion (Ca2+) gradients, crucial for skin barrier function and keratinocyte differentiation. Disrupting the TJ leads to altered Ca2+ flux and abnormal skin cell proliferation and differentiation.

More Related Videos

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

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Published on: July 14, 2017

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

Area of Science:

Dermatology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Calcium ions (Ca2+) are known inducers of keratinocyte differentiation.
A vertical Ca2+ gradient, peaking at the stratum granulosum, is essential for skin homeostasis.
The stratum corneum (SC) was traditionally considered the sole skin permeability barrier, but epidermal tight junctions (TJs) are emerging as a secondary barrier.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of epidermal tight junctions (TJs) in establishing the Ca2+ gradient.
To elucidate the contribution of TJs to keratinocyte differentiation in reconstructed human epidermis.

Main Methods:

Disruption of the epidermal TJ barrier using sodium caprate treatment in reconstructed human epidermis.
Analysis of Ca2+ flux and gradient changes using ion-capture cytochemistry.
Evaluation of ultrastructural alterations and proliferation/differentiation markers.

Main Results:

Disruption of the TJ barrier significantly increased Ca2+ flux and altered the Ca2+ gradient.
Regional hyperproliferation and precocious differentiation of keratinocytes were observed.
Ultrastructural changes in the epidermis were noted following TJ disruption.

Conclusions:

Epidermal tight junctions (TJs) play a critical role in maintaining epidermal homeostasis.
TJs regulate the Ca2+ gradient, which is vital for normal skin barrier function and differentiation.
The findings highlight TJs as a key component in skin barrier complexity beyond the SC.