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Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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...

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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...

Anchoring Junctions

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:...

Adherens Junctions

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...

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue.
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...

Contact-dependent Signaling

Contact-dependent Signaling

Contact-dependent signaling, as the name suggests, requires that communicating cells be in direct contact with each other. This is achieved either through receptor-ligand interactions or by specialized cytoplasmic channels that allow the flow of small molecules between cells. In animal cells, channels called gap junctions facilitate contact-dependent signaling in certain tissues, whereas, plasmodesmata perform a similar function in plants.
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification

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Intercellular junction assembly, dynamics, and homeostasis.

Kathleen J Green¹, Spiro Getsios, Sergey Troyanovsky

¹Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, R.H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, 303 E. Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. kgreen@northwestern.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

|February 26, 2010

Summary

Intercellular anchoring junctions, including adherens junctions and desmosomes, are crucial for cell adhesion and tissue integrity. Their assembly and function are interconnected and vital for development and disease.

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Intercellular anchoring junctions mediate cell-cell adhesion via cadherin interactions.
These junctions link to cytoskeletal networks, organizing cell structure and function.
Adherens junctions (AJs) associate with actin filaments, while desmosomes (DSMs) associate with intermediate filaments.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the interconnected assembly and function of adherens junctions and desmosomes.
To explore the role of signaling and trafficking in junction assembly and remodeling.
To understand how these mechanisms are implicated in human diseases.

Main Methods:

Focus on the molecular mechanisms of AJ and DSM assembly.
Investigate the interplay between AJs and DSMs during development and in adult tissues.
Analyze signaling pathways and protein trafficking involved in junction dynamics.

Main Results:

Adherens junctions and desmosomes exhibit intricate connections in their assembly and function.
Specialized "mixed" junctions can form, integrating features of both AJs and DSMs.
Signaling and trafficking machineries are critical drivers of junction remodeling.

Conclusions:

The coordinated assembly and function of adherens junctions and desmosomes are essential for tissue development and homeostasis.
Dysregulation of these junctional mechanisms contributes to human disease pathogenesis.
Understanding these connections provides insights into potential therapeutic strategies for diseases involving cell adhesion defects.