3 CATEGORIES OF CELL JUNCTIONS

1. Tight junctions: ZonulaOccludens

– ridges of proteins, ½ from each adjoining cell w/c fuse together by CHONs: claudins and occludins.
–are also dynamic and can be altered depending on body’s needs; found at apical margins
- Functions
i. Bind cells together for strength and stability
ii. Form barriers to ions and solutes- space almost obliterated.
Ex. Blood brain barrier, intestinal tract and kidneys prevent most substances from moving freely between external and
internal environment.
2. Anchoring junctions
-desmosomes – adherensjxns, strongest

-are essential adhesion structures in most epithelia that link the intermediate filament network to form strong bond between:

i. one cell to neighbor (cell-cell anchoring jxn) – use cadherins

ii. cell to extracellular matrix (cell-matrix anchoring jxn) - use integrins