Beschreibung:
Body cavities and external surfaces of metazoic organisms are covered with sheets of epithelial cells that act as physical and chemical barriers. Epithelial tissues divide the body into differentiated compartments with different chemical properties providing the barrier function in the trachea and lung, the blood brain barrier in the central nervous system and a powerful shield against pathogens and bacteria. In invertebrates the so- called septate junctions (SJs) mediate the barrier forming structures of epithelial cells. SJs are localized apicolaterally and consist of a highly stable and ...