Tight junctions (TJs) are intercellular junctions critical for building the epithelial barrier and
maintaining epithelial polarity. The claudin family of membrane proteins play central roles in …

The gastrointestinal tract is a specialized organ in which dynamic interactions between host
cells and the complex environment occur in addition to food digestion. Together with the …

A fundamental function of the intestinal epithelium is to act as a barrier that limits interactions
between luminal contents such as the intestinal microbiota, the underlying immune system …

Claudin family tight junction proteins form charge-and size-selective paracellular channels
that regulate epithelial barrier function. In the gastrointestinal tract, barrier heterogeneity is …

Epithelia and endothelia separate different tissue compartments and protect multicellular
organisms from the outside world. This requires the formation of tight junctions, selective …

Claudins are cell–cell adhesion molecules located at the tight junctions (TJs) between cells
in epithelial cell sheets. The claudin family in mammals consists of 27 four-transmembrane …

Mucosal surfaces are lined by epithelial cells. In the intestine, the epithelium establishes a
selectively permeable barrier that supports nutrient absorption and waste secretion while …

The intestinal epithelium can be easily disrupted during gut inflammation as seen in
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. For a long …

Blood vessels are critical to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all of the tissues and organs
throughout the body. The blood vessels that vascularize the central nervous system (CNS) …

Cell–cell junctions link cells to each other in tissues, and regulate tissue homeostasis in
critical cell processes that include tissue barrier function, cell proliferation, and migration …