tight junction

anatomy

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evolution of nervous systems

  • neuron; conduction of the action potential
    In nervous system: Evolution and development of the nervous system

    …may well have been via tight junctions, in which the plasma membranes of adjacent cells fuse to form cellular sheets. Tight junctions have low electrical resistance and high permeability to molecules. They also occur in large numbers in embryos, suggesting that the electrical potentials of cells joined in this manner…

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function in tissue structure

  • animal cell
    In cell: Tight junctions

    Tight junctions form leakproof seals by fusing the plasma membranes of adjacent cells, creating a continuous barrier through which molecules cannot pass. The membranes are fused by tight associations of two types of specialized integral membrane proteins, in turn repelling large water-soluble molecules. In invertebrates…

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