Interendothelial junctions: structure, signalling and functional roles.

Endothelial cell-cell adhesive junctions are formed by transmembrane adhesive proteins linked to a complex cytoskeletal network. These structures are important not only for maintaining adhesion between endothelial cells and, as a consequence, for the control of vascular permeability, but also for intracellular signalling properties. The establishment of intercellular junctions might affect the endothelial functional phenotype by the downregulation or upregulation of endothelial-specific activities.