Tight junction disruption and the pathogenesis of the chronic complications of diabetes mellitus: A narrative review

Figure 1 Molecular organization of the tight junctions. Claudins, occludin and junctional adhesion molecules are the major integral membrane proteins of tight junctions (TJs). Claudins form TJ strands, corresponding to membrane kissing points. TJ-associated membrane proteins are localized at apical cell-cell junctions by interacting with the zonula occludens family of scaffolding proteins, serving as links between TJs and the actin cytoskeleton. JAM: Junctional adhesion molecules; ZO: Zonula occludens.