Title:Tight Junctions in the Auditory System: Structure, Distribution and
Function
Volume: 24
Issue: 3
Author(s): Xiang Gao, Changsheng Chen, Shuai Shi, Fuping Qian, Dong Liu*Jie Gong*
Affiliation:
- School of Life Science, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of
Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- School of Life Science, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of
Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
Keywords:
Tight junction, signaling pathways, hearing loss, hair cells, deafness therapy, epithelial membranes.
Abstract: Tight junctions act as a barrier between epithelial cells to limit the transport of the paracellular
substance, which is a required function in various tissues to sequestrate diverse microenvironments
and maintain a normal physiological state. Tight junctions are complexes that contain various proteins,
like transmembrane proteins, scaffolding proteins, signaling proteins, etc. Defects in those tight junction-
related proteins can lead to hearing loss in humans which is also recapitulated in many model organisms.
The disruption of the barrier between the endolymph and perilymph caused by tight junction
abnormalities will affect the microenvironment of hair cells; and this could be the reason for this type
of hearing loss. Besides their functions as a typical barrier and channel, tight junctions are also involved
in many signaling networks to regulate gene expression, cell proliferation, and differentiation.
This review will summarize the structures, localization, and related signaling pathways of hearingrelated
tight junction proteins and their potential contributions to the hearing disorder.