What is it about?
We demonstrate that an epithelial cell line derived from rabbit corneal epithelium assembles specialized cell junctions that enable the corneal epithelium to constitute an impermeable barrier that is crucial to protect eye tissues. The results show that epithelial barrier assembly is closely coupled with the expression of cell differentiation program, in contrast with non-stratified epithelia, which assemble their epithelial barrier after cells reach confluence and establish contacts between them. We also show that retinoic acid, which is a vitamin A analog disrupts the epithelial barrier in a reversible manner.
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Why is it important?
This work is important because it shows that epithelial barrier regulation in multilayered epithelia depends from the expression of the differentiated phenotype, in contrast with simple epithelia, in which barrier depends upon cell-cell contact. Such difference makes the assembly of tight junction in stratified epithelia such as epidermis and cornea, and interesting model to learn which are the molecular regulators of tight junction assembly.
Perspectives
I believe that this paper is important because it shows that the molecular control of tight junction assembly is different between simple and stratified epithelia. The analyusis of such molecular mechanism should enable us to determine how we can modify epithelial barrier in order to enhance or inhibit the penetration of drugs and other compounds to organs which are lined by stratified epithelia.
Dr Federico Castro-Munozledo
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Expression of claudins -2 and -4 and cingulin is coordinated with the start of stratification and differentiation in corneal epithelial cells: retinoic acid reversibly disrupts epithelial barrier, Biology Open, November 2012, The Company of Biologists,
DOI: 10.1242/bio.20123145.
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