Fig. 4: Apical junctional complex in umbrella cells.
From: The urothelium: a multi-faceted barrier against a harsh environment
The junctional complex is comprised of the ringlike tight junction (TJ), adherens junction (AJ), and desmosomes. TJs are the most apical intercellular junctions. The key molecular components of TJs are claudins and occludin. TJ proteins in conjunction with AJ proteins (cadherins and catenins) form the urothelial junctional complex.
