Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

8.5K
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...
8.5K
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

31.6K
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...
31.6K
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

31.4K
31.4K
Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

46.4K
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
46.4K
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

7.5K
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
7.5K
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

5.5K
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:...
5.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Roles of a <i>Drosophila</i> ADAM 10 transmembrane metalloprotease, Kuzbanian, in tissue architecture and function of the adult adipose tissue.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Roles of a Drosophila ADAM 10 Transmembrane Metalloprotease, Kuzbanian, in Tissue Architecture and Function of the Adult Adipose Tissue.

Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms·2026
Same author

Functional landscape of mechanistic diversity in 27 claudin family members at tight junctions.

Science advances·2025
Same author

EDNRB2 regulates fate, migration, and maturation of hair cell precursors in regenerating avian auditory epithelium explants.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

MID1-COMPLEMENTING ACTIVITY regulates cell proliferation and development via Ca2+ signaling in Marchantia polymorpha.

Plant physiology·2024
Same author

Dual-color live imaging unveils stepwise organization of multiple basal body arrays by cytoskeletons.

EMBO reports·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells
05:55

Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells

Published on: February 8, 2020

8.0K

Tricellular Tight Junctions in the Inner Ear.

Shin-Ichiro Kitajiri1, Tatsuya Katsuno1

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.

Biomed Research International
|May 20, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Tricellular tight junctions (tTJs) form crucial barriers in the inner ear, maintaining hearing. Proteins like tricellulin and angulins are key to tTJ function and defects can lead to deafness.

More Related Videos

Patch Clamp Recordings in Inner Ear Hair Cells Isolated from Zebrafish
12:43

Patch Clamp Recordings in Inner Ear Hair Cells Isolated from Zebrafish

Published on: October 17, 2012

17.4K
Three-dimensional Organotypic Cultures of Vestibular and Auditory Sensory Organs
08:17

Three-dimensional Organotypic Cultures of Vestibular and Auditory Sensory Organs

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells
05:55

Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells

Published on: February 8, 2020

8.0K
Patch Clamp Recordings in Inner Ear Hair Cells Isolated from Zebrafish
12:43

Patch Clamp Recordings in Inner Ear Hair Cells Isolated from Zebrafish

Published on: October 17, 2012

17.4K
Three-dimensional Organotypic Cultures of Vestibular and Auditory Sensory Organs
08:17

Three-dimensional Organotypic Cultures of Vestibular and Auditory Sensory Organs

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.7K

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Otolaryngology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Tight junctions (TJs) form epithelial barriers, crucial for inner ear function and hearing.
  • Mutations in TJ proteins (claudins) are linked to human and mouse deafness.
  • Tricellular tight junctions (tTJs) represent a specialized junction at cell-cell corners, requiring additional proteins beyond claudins for barrier integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of tricellular tight junctions (tTJs).
  • To highlight the role of tTJs in maintaining the inner ear's barrier function and endocochlear potential.
  • To discuss tTJ-associated proteins, including tricellulin and the angulin family, and their implications in deafness.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on tTJs.
  • Analysis of the molecular composition and localization of tTJ proteins.
  • Examination of genetic mutations affecting tTJ proteins and their association with hearing loss.

Main Results:

  • tTJs are essential for separating inner ear fluid compartments, vital for hearing.
  • Tricellulin and angulin family proteins (LSR, ILDR1, ILDR2) are localized at tTJs.
  • Defects in tricellulin and ILDR1 are implicated in various forms of deafness.

Conclusions:

  • tTJs play a critical, yet distinct, role in epithelial barrier function compared to conventional TJs.
  • Tricellulin and angulins are key components of tTJs, essential for inner ear homeostasis.
  • Further research into tTJs and associated proteins may reveal new therapeutic targets for hearing disorders.