Role of tight junctions in cell proliferation and cancer

The acquisition of a cancerous phenotype by epithelial cells involves the disruption of intercellular adhesions. The reorganization of the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex in adherens junctions during cell transformation is widely recognized. Instead the implication of tight junctions (TJs) in this process is starting to be unraveled. The aim of this article is to review the role of TJ proteins in cell proliferation and cancer.