Physiol-93B3: Briefly describe role of intercellular tight junctions.

Intercellular tight junctions are one type of intercellular connection

Structure of tight junctions:

- Found at the apical cell margins of epithelia, connected to the adherens junction (zonula
adherens) below
- Formed by ridges of each adjoining cell that adheres tightly at the cell junction, thus
obliterating the space between them – This is facilitated by transmembrane proteins
(Occludins, Claudins and Junctional adhesion molecules)

Function of tight junctions:

- (1) Gate/barrier function – Permits variable degree of paracellular passage of certain
ion/solutes and H2O (“leakiness” varies depending on its protein makeup)
- (2) Fence function – Prevents protein movement within the plane of the membrane, thus
maintaining the different distribution of transporters/channels on the apical and BL
membranes
- (3) Endow tissue strength and stability by attaching cells together and to surrounding
tissues