Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen which uses a number of strategies to cross epithelial and endothelial barriers at cell-cell junctions. In this review, we describe how the coordinated actions of P. aeruginosa's virulence factors trigger various molecular mechanisms to disarm the junctional gate responsible for tissue integrity.

For epithelia to function as barriers, the intercellular space must be sealed. Sealing two adjacent cells at bicellular tight junctions (bTJs) is well described with the discovery of the claudins. Yet, there are still barrier weak points at tricellular contacts, where three cells join together. In this study, we identify tricellulin, the first integral membrane protein that is concentrated at t...

Inflammation resulting from bacterial infection of the respiratory mucosal surface during pneumonia and cystic fibrosis contributes to pathology. A major consequence of the inflammatory response is recruitment of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) to the infected site. To reach the airway, PMNs must travel through several cellular and extracellular barriers, via the actions of multiple cytokines, c...

Administration of therapeutic proteins by methods other than injection is limited, in part, by inefficient penetration of epithelial barriers. Therefore, unique approaches to breaching these barriers are needed. The neonatal constant region fragment (Fc) receptor (FcRn), which is responsible for IgG transport across the intestinal epithelium in newborn rodents, is expressed in epithelial cells ...

Establishment and maintenance of permeability barriers is one of the most important functions of epithelial cells. Tricellular junctions (TCJs) maintain the permeability barriers at the contact site of three epithelial cells. Gliotactin, a member of the Neuroligin family, is the only known Drosophila protein exclusively localized to the TCJ and is necessary for maintenance of the permeability b...

Tissue barriers maintain homeostasis, protect underlying tissues, are remodeled during organogenesis and injury and limit aberrant proliferation and dissemination. In this context, endothelial and epithelial intercellular junctions are the primary targets of various cues. This cellular adaptation requires plasticity and dynamics of adhesion molecules and the associated cytoskeleton, as well as ...

Pulmonary barrier function plays a pivotal role in protection from inhaled particles. However, some nano-scaled particles, such as carbon nanotubes (CNT), have demonstrated the ability to penetrate this barrier in animal models, resulting in an unusual, rapid interstitial fibrosis. To delineate the underlying mechanism and specific bio-effect of inhaled nanoparticles in respiratory toxicity, mo...

The blood brain barrier (BBB) and the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) form the barriers of the brain. These barriers are essential not only for the protection of the brain, but also in regulating the exchange of cells and molecules in and out of the brain. The choroid plexus (CP) epithelial cells and the arachnoid membrane form the BCSFB. The CP is structurally divided into two indepe...

Abstract The “epithelial barrier hypothesis” proposes that genetic predisposition to epithelial damage, exposure various barrier–damaging agents and chronic periepithelial inflammation are responsible for the development of allergic autoimmune diseases. Particularly, introduction more than 200,000 new chemicals our daily lives since 1960s has played a major role in pandemic increase these const...

calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor is a rare odontogenic neoplasm. its occurrence in the maxillary sinus is very rare. maxillary tumors tend to be locally aggressive and may rapidly involve the surrounding vital structures.  we report a case of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor involving maxillary sinus in a 48 years old female patient with the oral mucosal involvement. the purpose o...