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

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.

Structure of intercellular junctions in the endothelium.

Endothelial cell junctions are complex structures formed by transmembrane adhesive molecules linked to a network of cytoplasmic/cytoskeletal proteins. At least three different types of endothelial junctions have been described: tight junctions, gap junctions and adherens junctions. These structures have some features and components in common with epithelium but also some which are specific for endothelium.

A general strategy for isolation of endothelial cells from murine tissues. Characterization of two endothelial cell lines from the murine lung and subcutaneous sponge implants.

A rapid, reproducible method for the isolation of murine endothelial cells (ECs) has been developed. Murine ECs were highly enriched by collagenase digestion of mechanically minced lung and subcutaneous sponge implants followed by specific selection with rat anti-mouse CD31 (i.e.