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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...
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...
Assembly of Signaling Complexes01:30

Assembly of Signaling Complexes

Multiprotein signaling complexes are formed in a dynamic process involving protein-protein interactions at the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane receptors or enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins associated with the receptor. These complexes ensure the activation and propagation of intracellular signals that regulate cell functions.
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...

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Updated: May 9, 2026

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

Desmosome assembly and dynamics.

Oxana Nekrasova1, Kathleen J Green

  • 1Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Trends in Cell Biology
|July 30, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Desmosomes, crucial for tissue strength, anchor intermediate filaments (IFs) to cell membranes. New live imaging reveals how these essential cell structures assemble and maintain themselves, offering insights into disease mechanisms.

Keywords:
armadillo proteinscell junctionsdesmoplakindesmosomal cadherins

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Desmosomes are vital intercellular junctions providing mechanical resilience to tissues.
  • They anchor intermediate filaments (IFs) to the plasma membrane via cadherins and associated proteins.
  • The biochemical insolubility of desmosomes has historically hindered the study of their assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To decipher the machinery and regulation governing desmosome assembly and homeostasis.
  • To understand how these mechanisms are affected during disease pathogenesis.
  • To leverage recent advances in molecular reporters and live cell imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing molecular reporters to track desmosome components.
  • Employing live cell imaging techniques to monitor assembly in real time.
  • Analyzing desmosome structure and function in situ.

Main Results:

  • Recent studies are beginning to elucidate the complex machinery involved in desmosome assembly.
  • Live imaging provides unprecedented real-time insights into desmosome dynamics.
  • The regulation of desmosome homeostasis is being uncovered.

Conclusions:

  • Advanced imaging techniques are overcoming previous limitations in studying desmosome assembly.
  • Understanding desmosome assembly is critical for comprehending tissue mechanics and disease.
  • Further research will illuminate the role of desmosome dysfunction in pathogenesis.