Tight junctions: is there a role in dermatology

• Published in: Archives of Dermatological Research Vol. 302; no. 7; pp. 483 - 493
• Main Authors: Kirschner, Nina, Bohner, Claudia, Rachow, Susanne, Brandner, Johanna M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.09.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Barrier; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Claudin; Dermatology; Dermatology - trends; Differentiation; Epidermis - metabolism; Epidermis - pathology; Humans; JAM; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mini Review; Occludin; Proliferation; Protein Transport; skin; Skin Diseases - metabolism; Skin Diseases - pathology; Tight Junctions - metabolism; ZO-1; ZO-1; Claudin; JAM; Skin; Barrier; Proliferation; Differentiation; Occludin; Dermatology
• ISSN: 0340-3696; 1432-069X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00403-010-1058-z

A variety of tight junction (TJ) proteins including claudins, occludin, tricellulin, zonula occludens-proteins and junctional adhesion molecules have been identified in complex localization patterns in mammalian epidermis. Their expression and/or localization is frequently altered in skin diseases including skin tumors. However, our understanding of the function(s) of TJ and TJ proteins in the skin is, even though rapidly increasing, still limited. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the involvement of TJ and TJ proteins in mammalian skin in functions ascribed to TJ in simple epithelia, such as barrier function, polarity, gene expression, proliferation, differentiation, and vesicle transport.