[Endothelial intercellular junctions: relationship between vascular adhesion and morphogenesis].

Endothelial cell-cell junctions are required for integrity of the vascular system. Similar to that of epithelial cells, the interendothelial cleft contains tight, adherens and gap junctions, and the newly-defined complexus adherentes. In the past few years, the molecular components of these organelles were identified as well as their mutual interactions. These data deciphered the complex link between the cell membrane and the cytoskeleton. The contribution of these junctions in vessel formation and permeability is discussed in this review.