Publikationsdatenbank

Claudin clusters as determinants of epithelial barrier function (2015)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Markov, Alexander G

Aschenbach, Jörg R (WE 2)

Amasheh, Salah (WE 2)

Quelle

International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Bandzählung: 67

Heftzählung: 1

Seiten: 29 – 35

ISSN: 1521-6551

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

DOI: 10.1002/iub.1347

Pubmed: 25788154

Kontakt

Institut für Veterinär-Physiologie

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62600
physiologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Claudins are tetraspan tight junction proteins which have been attributed to primarily determine epithelial barrier function in a wide variety of different organs and tissues. Among this protein family with currently 27 members, single claudins contribute in an organ- and tissue-specific manner to defined properties such as cation-, anion- or water-selective pore functions, sealing functions or ambiguous functions. As the size of tight junction strand particles visualized by freeze-fracture electron microscopy have a diameter of approximately 10 nm, multimeric assembly of tight junction proteins appears to be a basic principle for barrier formation. Moreover, expression patterns of different tissues showed that single claudins appear to specifically co-localize with other claudins, which indicates a cluster formation within tight junction strand particles with a fixed stoichiometry. This review provides a critical view on the current understanding of tight junction protein co-localization within strands. We analyze how tissue specific differences of claudin functions could be dependent on their specific partners for barrier formation. Furthermore, a model of claudin clusters as structural and functional units within tight junction strands is provided. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(1):29-35, 2015.