Preface.

1. The molecular aspects of Tight junctions

2. The distribution of tight junctions and junctional proteins in the body

3. Methods to study Tight Junctions

4. Enhanced vascular permeability in solid tumors: A promise for Anticancer Nanomedicine

5.Tight junctions, Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs), and the blood brain barrier.

6. Tight Junctions in human urinary bladder cancer

7. Tight junctions in colorectal cancer

8. Tight Junctions in breast cancer: multifaceted players in tumorigenesis and progression

9.Regulation of tight junctions for therapeutic advantages

10.VEGF-Mediated Effects On Brain Microvascular Endothelial Tight Junctions and Transmigration of Breast Cancer Cells Across The Blood-Brain Barrier

11. Claudin-5 and cancer metastasis

12. Signaling pathways regulating endothelial cell-cell junctions as a barrier to tumor cell metastasis

13. The ROCK signalling pathway and Tight Junctions

Index.

There has been a dramatic increase in knowledge of tight junctions in the past decade. The molecular structure of tight junctions, cellular functions and the pathophysiological roles of tight junctions are becoming clear. Of the most important functions, the role of the cellular structure in cancer spread and drug delivery are increasingly realised. It is now clear that there are fundamental changes to tight junctions during the process of cancer development. Tight junctions are also critical to the metastatic process of cancer cells. The cellular structure is also crucial in drug therapies, namely, the permeability and bioavailability of the drugs, penetration of barriers such as the blood brain barrier. This current volume aims to summarise the current knowledge of tight junctions, their role in cancer and cancer metastasis and is of interest to scientists and clinicians.