The molecular biology of desmosomes and hemidesmosomes: ?What's in a name?'
The molecular biology of desmosomes and hemidesmosomes: ?What's in a name?'
Desmosomes are junctions involved in intercellular adhesion of epithelial cells and hemidesmosomes are junctions involved in adhesion of epithelia to basement membranes. Both are characterised at the ultrastructural level by dense cytoplasmic plaques which are linked to the intermediate filament cytoskeleton of the cells. The plaques strongly resemble each other suggesting a relationship between the two kinds of junctions, as implied by their names. Recent characterisation of the molecular components of the junctions shows they are, in fact, quite unrelated implying that structural similarity is fortuitous. The molecular biology raises many fascinating problems relating to their structure and function.
385-393
Legan, P.K.
5d1c904e-fac3-45be-9cd6-521c6c554e3e
Collins, J.E.
be0e66f1-3036-47fa-9d7e-914c48710ba4
Garrod, D.R.
b20b86ce-d168-4810-989f-7a3e11d122e2
June 1992
Legan, P.K.
5d1c904e-fac3-45be-9cd6-521c6c554e3e
Collins, J.E.
be0e66f1-3036-47fa-9d7e-914c48710ba4
Garrod, D.R.
b20b86ce-d168-4810-989f-7a3e11d122e2
Abstract
Desmosomes are junctions involved in intercellular adhesion of epithelial cells and hemidesmosomes are junctions involved in adhesion of epithelia to basement membranes. Both are characterised at the ultrastructural level by dense cytoplasmic plaques which are linked to the intermediate filament cytoskeleton of the cells. The plaques strongly resemble each other suggesting a relationship between the two kinds of junctions, as implied by their names. Recent characterisation of the molecular components of the junctions shows they are, in fact, quite unrelated implying that structural similarity is fortuitous. The molecular biology raises many fascinating problems relating to their structure and function.
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Published date: June 1992
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Local EPrints ID: 179801
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/179801
ISSN: 0265-9247
PURE UUID: dd533435-36f1-4d47-a9cc-7f03d739ce7a
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Date deposited: 04 Apr 2011 13:18
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:50
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Author:
P.K. Legan
Author:
D.R. Garrod
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