Paracellular barriers: Advances in assessing their contribution to renal epithelial function

Regulation of salt and water balance occupies a dominant role in the physiology of many animals and often relies on the function of the renal system. In the mammalian kidney, epithelial ion and water transport requires high degree of coordination between the transcellular and paracellular pathways, the latter being defined by the intercellular tight junctions (TJs). TJs seal the paracellular pathway in a highly specialized manner, either by forming a barrier against the passage of solutes and/or water or by allowing the passage of ions and/or water through them. This functional TJ plasticity is now known to be provided by the members of the claudin family of tetraspan proteins. Unlike mammalian nephron, the renal structures of insects, the Malpighian tubules, lack TJs and instead have smooth septate junctions (sSJs) as paracellular barrier forming junctions. Many questions regarding the molecular and functional properties of sSJs remain open but research on model species have begun to inform our understanding. The goal of this commentary is to highlight key concepts and most recent findings that have emerged from the molecular and functional dissection of paracellular barriers in the mammalian and insect renal epithelia.