Junctional adhesion molecule, a novel member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that distributes at intercellular junctions and modulates monocyte transmigration.

ABSTRACT: Tight junctions are the most apical components of endothelial and epithelial intercellular cleft. In the endothelium these structures play an important role in the control of paracellular permeability to circulating cells and solutes. The only known integral membrane protein localized at sites of membrane-membrane interaction of tight junctions is occludin, which is linked inside the cells to a complex network of cytoskeletal and signaling proteins. We report here the identification of a novel protein (junctional adhesion molecule [JAM]) that is selectively concentrated at intercellular junctions of endothelial and epithelial cells of different origins. Confocal and immunoelectron microscopy shows that JAM codistributes with tight junction components at the apical region of the intercellul

SUBMITTER: Martin-Padura I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2133024 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature