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Related Concept Videos

Desmosomes01:05

Desmosomes

9.4K
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...
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Satellite Stem Cells and Muscular Dystrophy01:21

Satellite Stem Cells and Muscular Dystrophy

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Satellite stem cells or myosatellite cells are quiescent stem cells that Alexander Mauro first identified in 1961. These cells are located between the sarcolemma, the plasma membrane of muscle fibers, and the basal lamina, the connective tissue sheath covering it. These mononucleated cells are activated in response to muscle injury, can transform into myoblasts, and may form or repair muscle fibers. Myosatellite cells can provide additional myonuclei for muscle regeneration or return to a...
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Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

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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
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Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

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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:...
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Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

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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...
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Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

4.6K
The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
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Related Experiment Video

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Isolation and Characterization of Cardiac Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Endomyocardial Bioptic Samples of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Patients
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Desmosomes in acquired disease.

Sara N Stahley1, Andrew P Kowalczyk

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Cell and Tissue Research
|March 22, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Desmosomes are crucial cell adhesion structures. This review explores how diseases impacting desmosomes, like autoimmune and infectious conditions, reveal their fundamental biology and potential therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Desmosomes are vital cell-cell junctions essential for tissue integrity.
  • They link intermediate filaments to cell adhesion sites, integrating cytoskeletal and adhesion functions.
  • Dysfunctional desmosomes are implicated in various inherited and acquired human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of desmosomes in autoimmune and infectious diseases.
  • To discuss the misregulation of desmosomal genes in cancer.
  • To highlight how disease mechanisms inform desmosome biology and vice versa.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer.
  • Analysis of current research on desmosome function and dysfunction.

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  • Integration of findings from human diseases to understand desmosome biology.

    • Main Results:

    • Compromised desmosome function underlies numerous human diseases.
    • Autoimmune and infectious diseases significantly impair desmosome function.
    • Emerging evidence links desmosomal gene misregulation to cancer development.

    Conclusions:

    • Human diseases provide critical insights into desmosome biology.
    • Understanding desmosome cell biology can lead to novel treatments for desmosome-related diseases.
    • Further research into desmosome structure-function relationships is warranted for therapeutic advancements.