JUNCTIONAL COMPLEXES

& CELL SURFACE

MODIFICATIONS
 EPITHELIUM
• Epithelium covers surfaces and
cavites.
• Comprises many secretory portions
of organs that reasonably can be
visualized as complex invaginations
of the surface of the organism.
 JUNCTIONAL COMPLEXES
• The apical junctions between cells in many
epithelia are equipped microscopic ceiling and
adhesive structures known as the junctional
complexes (JC).
• The JC isolates the sensitve internal
environment of the organism from the
noxious, toxic, and infectious external
environment, eg, the the noxious content of
the GIT are isolated from the sensitve gut wall
by JC.
 COMPONENTS OF THE JUNCTIONAL
COMPLEX
There are four major components of the
Junctional complex:
I. Zonula Occludens (Tight junction)
II.Zonula Adherens (Intermediate junction)
III.Macula Adherens (Desmosome)
IV.Gap Junction (Nexus)
Cell Junctions in Epithelia
 Zonula Occludens
• Tight junctions (zona occludens) – close off
intercellular space
– Found at apical region of most epithelial tissues
types
– Some proteins in plasma membrane of adjacent
cells are fused
– Prevent certain molecules from passing between
cells of epithelial tissue
Tight Junction
 Zonula Adherens
• Adherens junctions (zonula adherens) –
anchoring junction or intermediate junction.
• The Zonula Adherens occurs just below the
Zonula occludens as a divergence of the
plasma membrane with a clear separation of
about 10-15 nm.
• It therefore forms an adhesive junction
consisting of simple membrane apposition
with varying amounts of electron-dense
material in the intervening gap.
 Macula Adherens
• Below the the Zonula Adherens is the third
structure, the Macula Adherens or desmosome
• Desmosomes – two disc-like plaques connected
(apposed) across intercellular space.
• Each apposed cell contributes half of one
desmosome.
Desmosome
 Macula Adherens (Contd)
• When an epithelial cell abuts on a
basement membrane, sometimes it
forms a hemidesmosome.

• At the Macula Adherens, the plasma

membranes diverge slightly and are 25-
30 nm apart.
 Macula Adherens (Contd)
Plaques of adjoining cells are joined by
proteins called cadherins
Regulate cell shape/structure by cell-
cell interactions
Proteins interdigitate into extracellular
space
Intermediate filaments insert into
plaques from cytoplasmic side
Also found in the heart
 Gap Junction (Nexus)
• A gap junction (GP) is a specialized region where
the outer leaflets come as close as 2nm apart
from each other, but a small gap remains.
• Cells within the GP are connected by hollow
cylinders of protein.
• The Gap Junction facilitates:
– small molecules movement directly between
neighboring cells.
– Intercellular communication
Gap Junction
 CELL SURFACE MODIFICATIONS
The outer surface of plasma membrane shows
some structural modifications:
• Microvilli
• Cilia
• Stereocilia
• Flagella
 Microvilli
• Tiny finger-like structures on the surface
of epithelial cell.
• They are involved in absorption and
secretion.
• They help to increase the available
surface area for absorption and
secretion.
• Diameter: About 0.08 µm
 Microvilli (Contd)
• Abundant in the epithelium of the
small intestine and kidney.
• Maximize surface area across which
small molecules enter or leave.
• Act as stiff knobs that resist abrasion
Microvilli
Goblet Cells
 Cilia and Flagella
Cilia and flagella are highly motile
extensions of apical surface membranes.
The major difference in cilia and flagella:
Length:Cilia (5-15 µm) shorter than flagella
(150 µm)
Size: Flagella bigger
Number present on a cell: cilia more
Pattern of beating:cilia (whip-like) and
flagella (waves-like)
 Cell Parts and Functions
Cilia
Short hair-like projections
Used for movement
Location: outside of cell

Flagella
Long whip-like tail
Used for movement
Location: outside of cell
FLAGELLA
 Cilia and Flagella (Contd)
• Cilia are found in the
tracheobronchial tree, the uterus,
oviduct (pushing down ovum),
ventricles of the brain, rods and cones
of the retina.
• Flagella are found on mammalian
spermatozoa.
Respiratory epithelium showing cilia
cilia=2
 Stereocilia
• Stereocilia are long projection of the cell
membrane, similar in structure to
microvilli though they are sometimes
branched and are longer than the
microvilli.
• Unlike the cilia, streocilia lack motility.
• Stereocilia are found in the epididymis,
vas deferens and inner ear.
PSEUDOSTRATIFIED COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM WITH STEREOCILIA
Epididymal duct
A section of
the
Epididymis
showing
stereocilia