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Related Concept Videos

Desmosomes01:05

Desmosomes

5.3K
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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Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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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...
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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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Plasmodesmata01:20

Plasmodesmata

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In a multicellular organism, cells must communicate to work together in a coordinated manner. One way that cells communicate is through direct contact with other cells. The points of contact that connect adjacent cells are called intercellular junctions.
Intercellular junctions are a feature of fungal, plant, and animal cells. However, different types of junctions are found in different kinds of cells. Intercellular junctions found in animal cells include tight junctions, gap junctions, and...
2.8K
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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Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Measuring Interactions of Globular and Filamentous Proteins by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy NMR and Microscale Thermophoresis MST
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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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Desmosomes at a glance.

Abbey L Perl1, Jenny L Pokorny1, Kathleen J Green1,2,3

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

Journal of Cell Science
|June 28, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Desmosomes are dynamic cell junctions crucial for tissue integrity, especially under mechanical stress. They sense and respond to environmental cues, influencing cell processes and disease.

Keywords:
Cell adhesionCell mechanicsCytoskeletonEpidermal signalingIntercellular junctionsSkin

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Desmosomes are cadherin-based cell-cell junctions essential for vertebrate tissue structural integrity.
  • They connect the intermediate filament cytoskeleton to cell junctions, counteracting forces from adherens junctions.
  • Crucial in tissues experiencing high mechanical stress, like skin and heart.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review desmosome structure, assembly, and function.
  • To highlight insights into desmosome mechanochemical signaling in the epidermis.
  • To discuss desmosomes as therapeutic targets in human diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of desmosome research.
  • Analysis of desmosome structure and assembly mechanisms.
  • Examination of desmosome-dependent signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • Desmosomes are dynamic, not static, structures.
  • They integrate chemical and mechanical signals in response to environmental stimuli.
  • Desmosome dysfunction is implicated in various human diseases.

Conclusions:

  • Desmosomes play a vital role in tissue mechanics and cellular responses.
  • Understanding desmosome signaling offers potential for disease treatment.
  • Further research into desmosome dynamics is warranted.