Epithelial cells are the first line of mucosal defense. In the intestine, a single layer of
epithelial cells must establish a selectively permeable barrier that supports nutrient …

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) allows the brain to selectively import nutrients and energy
critical to neuronal function while simultaneously excluding neurotoxic substances from the …

The gastrointestinal tract is a specialized organ in which dynamic interactions between host
cells and the complex environment occur in addition to food digestion. Together with the …

A fundamental function of the intestinal epithelium is to act as a barrier that limits interactions
between luminal contents such as the intestinal microbiota, the underlying immune system …

The intestinal tract is lined by a single layer of columnar epithelial cells that forms a dynamic,
permeable barrier allowing for selective absorption of nutrients, while restricting access to …

Cell-cell adhesions are critical for the development and maintenance of tissues. Present at
sites of cell-cell contact are the adherens junctions and tight junctions. The adherens …

The gastrointestinal epithelium forms the boundary between the body and external
environment. It effectively provides a selective permeable barrier that limits the permeation …

Airway epithelial cells form a barrier to the outside world and are at the front line of mucosal
immunity. Epithelial apical junctional complexes are multiprotein subunits that promote cell …

The Blood–brain barrier (BBB), present at the level of the endothelium of cerebral blood
vessels, selectively restricts the blood-to-brain paracellular diffusion of compounds; it is …

The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) regulates transport across retinal capillaries maintaining
proper neural homeostasis and protecting the neural tissue from potential blood borne …