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

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.4K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
3.4K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

3.4K
The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
3.4K
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

8.7K
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...
8.7K
Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

6.8K
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...
6.8K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

2.4K
Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.4K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

5.3K
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
5.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Anillin variant in proteinuric kidney disease drives tubular epithelial cell death, junctional instability, and barrier dysfunction.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

PAK4 promotes vertex remodeling to maintain epithelial integrity and barrier function.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

CRB3 and NF2 orchestrate cytoskeletal dynamics to control epithelial barrier assembly.

JCI insight·2025
Same author

Anillin tunes contractility and regulates barrier function during Rho flare-mediated tight junction remodeling.

Molecular biology of the cell·2025
Same author

Anillin tunes contractility and regulates barrier function during Rho flare-mediated tight junction remodeling.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

The Heterotaxy Gene CCDC11 Is Important for Cytokinesis via RhoA Regulation.

Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Membrane Remodeling of Giant Vesicles in Response to Localized Calcium Ion Gradients
08:15

Membrane Remodeling of Giant Vesicles in Response to Localized Calcium Ion Gradients

Published on: July 16, 2018

8.3K

Multiscale dynamics of tight junction remodeling.

Saranyaraajan Varadarajan1, Rachel E Stephenson1, Ann L Miller2

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, United States.

Journal of Cell Science
|November 23, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Epithelial tight junctions (TJs) dynamically remodel to maintain barrier function during cell shape changes and tissue stretching. Localized Rho activation and actomyosin contraction repair barrier leaks, revealing key TJ remodeling mechanisms.

Keywords:
ActomyosinBarrier functionEpitheliaMorphogenesisParacellular permeabilityTight junction

More Related Videos

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
11:43

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

Published on: April 3, 2015

8.9K
Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
09:20

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Membrane Remodeling of Giant Vesicles in Response to Localized Calcium Ion Gradients
08:15

Membrane Remodeling of Giant Vesicles in Response to Localized Calcium Ion Gradients

Published on: July 16, 2018

8.3K
Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
11:43

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

Published on: April 3, 2015

8.9K
Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
09:20

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.9K

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Tissue engineering

Background:

  • Epithelial cells form critical biological barriers using tight junctions (TJs).
  • The dynamic remodeling of TJs in response to physiological forces is not well understood.
  • Forces like cell division and tissue stretching challenge epithelial barrier integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of tight junction remodeling across multiple scales.
  • To connect global TJ perturbations with local remodeling events.
  • To identify future research directions for understanding TJ remodeling.

Main Methods:

  • Framework for TJ remodeling across molecular, strand, cell, and tissue scales.
  • Review of studies on global TJ perturbations.
  • Analysis of emerging data on local TJ remodeling events.

Main Results:

  • TJ remodeling occurs dynamically across various scales.
  • Localized Rho activation and actomyosin contraction facilitate TJ repair.
  • Transient events promote remodeling to fix local barrier leaks.

Conclusions:

  • A multi-scale framework aids understanding of TJ remodeling.
  • Local repair mechanisms involving Rho and actomyosin are crucial for barrier function.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate TJ remodeling mechanisms.