Tight junctions (blue dots) between cells are connected areas of the plasma membrane that stitch cells together. Adherens junctions (red dots) join the actin filaments of neighboring cells together.

Tight junctions are a type of cell-cell junction found in epithelia that forms a barrier that is impermeable to the majority of soluble molecules between the two sides of the epithelium.

Tight junctions must be able to adapt to cell shape change and still be able to seal the gaps," explains Prof. Honigmann, chair of Biophysics and research group leader at the BIOTEC.

More information: Thanh Phuong Nguyen et al, Tight junction membrane proteins regulate the mechanical resistance of the apical junctional complex, Journal of Cell Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1083/jcb.