Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Measuring Interactions of Globular and Filamentous Proteins by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
Published on: November 2, 2018
Structure and function of desmosomes
Bastian Holthöfer1, Reinhard Windoffer, Sergey Troyanovsky
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
Abstract:
Desmosomes are prominent adhesion sites that are tightly associated with the cytoplasmic intermediate filament cytoskeleton providing mechanical stability in epithelia and also in several nonepithelial tissues such as cardiac muscle and meninges. They are unique in terms of ultrastructural appearance and molecular composition with cell type-specific variations. The dynamic assembly properties of desmosomes are important prerequisites for the acquisition and maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Disturbance of this equilibrium therefore not only compromises mechanical resilience but also affects many other tissue functions as becomes evident in various experimental scenarios and multiple diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Desmosomes
Anchoring Junctions
Structure of Cadherins
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

