Development of Cell Junctions

The characterization of cell junctions in normal tissues hasincreased rapidly in the past several years. Junctional structurescan now be separated into five major groups, each with significantstructural pleomorphism. Cell junctions have been describedin developing tissues, and their appearance can often be associatedwith significant morphogenetic events. Recently, the processof junctional membrane differentiation has been examined insea urchin embryogenesis and rat testis organogenesis. Bothstudies indicate that dramatic membrane assembly processes areinvolved in cell junction development (maturation).