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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Surgery. 2008 Jul 25;144(3):353–366. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2008.05.007

Figure 3. Tight junctions.

Figure 3

Depicted are two-and three-dimensional renditions of a tight junction with associated proteins. Tight junctions are closely associated areas of two cells whose membranes join forming a virtually impermeable barrier to fluid. It is a type of junctional complex only present in vertebrates. Similar junctions occurring in invertebrates are called septate junctions. Adapted from http://www.tier-guide.com and illustrations via personal communication with Punita Dhawan, Ph.D.