Schnittler H J
Institute of Physiology, Münster, Germany.
Basic Res Cardiol. 1998;93 Suppl 3:30-9. doi: 10.1007/s003950050205.
Cell-to-cell-junctions of endothelial cells are specialized and differentiated areas of the plasma membrane. The main functions include the separation of the intravascular and extravascular compartments, the mechanical connection of the cells, and the maintenance of the cell polarity. Although a wide heterogeneity of endothelial cell-to-cell junctions exists in situ, they should be considered in general as adherens type junctions in which gap and tight junctions are morphologically inserted. Under certain pathological conditions, such as wound healing, angiogenesis and many types of inflammation, the interendothelial junctions have to be dissociated and reorganized in which proteins of the junctions are crucially involved. These important mechanisms predict a sophisticated regulation of junctional proteins. The present paper describes the organization and functional aspects of the occludin/ZO-1 complex typically found in tight junctions, the cadherin/catenin complex of the adherens junctions and the connection of these protein complexes to the dense peripheral band via actin filaments. In addition, special attention has been drawn on the function of junction-associated proteins with respect to their role under fluid shear stress and interendothelial gap formation during inflammation.
内皮细胞间连接是质膜的特殊分化区域。其主要功能包括分隔血管内和血管外腔隙、细胞的机械连接以及维持细胞极性。尽管原位存在广泛异质性的内皮细胞间连接，但总体上应将其视为黏附型连接，其中缝隙连接和紧密连接在形态上嵌入其中。在某些病理条件下，如伤口愈合、血管生成和多种类型的炎症中，内皮细胞间连接必须解离并重新组织，连接蛋白在其中起着关键作用。这些重要机制预示着连接蛋白存在复杂的调控。本文描述了紧密连接中典型的闭合蛋白/ZO-1复合物、黏附连接的钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白复合物的组织和功能方面，以及这些蛋白质复合物通过肌动蛋白丝与致密外周带的连接。此外，还特别关注了连接相关蛋白在流体剪切应力作用下以及炎症期间内皮细胞间隙形成过程中的作用。
