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Updated: May 24, 2026

Sensing of Barrier Tissue Disruption with an Organic Electrochemical Transistor
Published on: February 10, 2014
Pathological changes in tight junctions and potential applications into therapies
Azusa Takahashi1, Masuo Kondoh, Hidehiko Suzuki
1Laboratory of Bio-Functional Molecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Abstract:
Epithelial cells are pivotal in the separation of the body from the outside environment. Orally administered drugs must pass across epithelial cell sheets, and most pathological organisms invade the body through epithelial cells. Tight junctions (TJs) are sealing complexes between adjacent epithelial cells. Modulation of TJ components is a potent strategy for increasing absorption. Inflammation often causes disruption of the TJ barrier. Molecular imaging technology has enabled elucidation of the dynamics of TJs. Molecular pathological analysis has shown the relationship between TJ components and molecular pathological conditions. In this article, we discuss TJ-targeted drug development over the past 2 years.
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