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Related Concept Videos

Desmosomes01:05

Desmosomes

The term desmosome derives from the Greek words "desmo" and "soma" meaning "adhesion bodies." This structure was first observed during the late 1800s and described as small, dense nodules in the epidermis. Desmosomes are button-like structures that help form an interlinked network of intermediate filaments across the cells. These junctions are  essential to hold cells together under mechanical stress and to maintain tissue integrity. Desmosomes are multi-protein complexes comprising desmosomal...
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another  cell. These cell junctions are classified  into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

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Sandwich-like Microenvironments to Harness Cell/Material Interactions
06:50

Sandwich-like Microenvironments to Harness Cell/Material Interactions

Published on: August 4, 2015

Desmosomes: new perspectives on a classic.

Kathleen J Green1, Cory L Simpson

  • 1Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. kgreen@northwestern.edu

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|October 16, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Desmosomes are crucial cell junctions that maintain tissue integrity under stress. Emerging research reveals their dynamic roles in cell signaling and tissue development beyond simple adhesion.

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Measuring Interactions of Globular and Filamentous Proteins by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
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A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Desmosomes are specialized cell junctions essential for mechanical stress distribution in tissues like the epidermis and myocardium.
  • Mutations in desmosomal proteins cause various pathologies, highlighting their critical mechanical functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular composition and assembly of desmosomes.
  • To explore the dynamic, supra-adhesive functions of desmosomal proteins in tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis.
  • To examine mechanisms regulating desmosome stability and adhesive strength in health and disease.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of desmosome structure, function, and regulation.
  • Analysis of molecular blueprints and assembly models.
  • Synthesis of evidence on supra-adhesive roles and dynamic remodeling.

Main Results:

  • Desmosomes are dynamic organelles, not static structures, susceptible to remodeling.
  • Desmosomal proteins play significant roles in cell signaling, tissue morphogenesis, and homeostasis.
  • Mechanisms for modulating desmosome adhesion and stability are crucial in health and disease.

Conclusions:

  • Desmosomes are complex, dynamic structures with critical roles beyond mechanical adhesion.
  • Understanding desmosome regulation is vital for addressing related pathologies and advancing tissue engineering.