Desmosomes: Intercellular Adhesive Junctions Specialized for Attachment of Intermediate Filaments

Andrew P. Kowalczyk; Elayne A. Bornslaeger; Suzanne M. Norvell; Helena L. Palka; Kathleen J. Green

doi:10.1016/s0074-7696(08)60153-9

Desmosomes: Intercellular Adhesive Junctions Specialized for Attachment of Intermediate Filaments

Andrew P. Kowalczyk^*, Elayne A. Bornslaeger, Suzanne M. Norvell, Helena L. Palka, Kathleen J. Green

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pathology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

207 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cell-cell adhesion is thought to play important roles in development, in tissue morphogenesis, and in the regulation of cell migration and proliferation. Desmosomes are adhesive intercellular junctions that anchor the intermediate filament network to the plasma membrane. By functioning both as an adhesive complex and as a cell-surface attachment site for intermediate filaments, desmosomes integrate the intermediate filament cytoskelelon between cells and play an important role in maintaining tissue integrity. Recent observations indicate that tissue integrity is severely compromised in autoimmune and genetic diseases in which the function of desmosomal molecules is impaired. In addition, the structure and function of many of the desmosomal molecules have been determined, and a number of the molecular interactions between desmosomal proteins have now been elucidated. Finally, the molecular constituents of desmosomes and other adhesive complexes are now known to function not only in cell adhesion, but also in the transduction of intracellular signals that regulate cell behavior.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	237-302
Number of pages	66
Journal	International Review of Cytology
Volume	185
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/s0074-7696(08)60153-9
State	Published - 1998

Funding

The authors thank the numerous laboratories that provided us with manuscripts prior to publication. We also thank members of the Green lab, past and present, for insights that have helped shape this review. Work in our lab is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01 AR41836, R01 AR43380, and PO1 DE12328) and the March of Dimes (FY 97-0202) to K.J.G. and by National Institutes of Health Grant KO1 AR02039-014 to A.P.K. S.M.N. and H.L.P. were supported in part by T32ES07284 and T32CA09560-10, respectively. K.J.G. is the recipient of a Faculty Research Award from the American Cancer Society.

Keywords

Cadherins
Catenins
Cell adhesion
Cytoskeleton
Desmoplakin
Plakoglobin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cell Biology
Histology

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10.1016/s0074-7696(08)60153-9

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title = "Desmosomes: Intercellular Adhesive Junctions Specialized for Attachment of Intermediate Filaments",

abstract = "Cell-cell adhesion is thought to play important roles in development, in tissue morphogenesis, and in the regulation of cell migration and proliferation. Desmosomes are adhesive intercellular junctions that anchor the intermediate filament network to the plasma membrane. By functioning both as an adhesive complex and as a cell-surface attachment site for intermediate filaments, desmosomes integrate the intermediate filament cytoskelelon between cells and play an important role in maintaining tissue integrity. Recent observations indicate that tissue integrity is severely compromised in autoimmune and genetic diseases in which the function of desmosomal molecules is impaired. In addition, the structure and function of many of the desmosomal molecules have been determined, and a number of the molecular interactions between desmosomal proteins have now been elucidated. Finally, the molecular constituents of desmosomes and other adhesive complexes are now known to function not only in cell adhesion, but also in the transduction of intracellular signals that regulate cell behavior.",

keywords = "Cadherins, Catenins, Cell adhesion, Cytoskeleton, Desmoplakin, Plakoglobin",

author = "Kowalczyk, {Andrew P.} and Bornslaeger, {Elayne A.} and Norvell, {Suzanne M.} and Palka, {Helena L.} and Green, {Kathleen J.}",

year = "1998",

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AU - Kowalczyk, Andrew P.

AU - Bornslaeger, Elayne A.

AU - Norvell, Suzanne M.

AU - Palka, Helena L.

AU - Green, Kathleen J.

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - Cell-cell adhesion is thought to play important roles in development, in tissue morphogenesis, and in the regulation of cell migration and proliferation. Desmosomes are adhesive intercellular junctions that anchor the intermediate filament network to the plasma membrane. By functioning both as an adhesive complex and as a cell-surface attachment site for intermediate filaments, desmosomes integrate the intermediate filament cytoskelelon between cells and play an important role in maintaining tissue integrity. Recent observations indicate that tissue integrity is severely compromised in autoimmune and genetic diseases in which the function of desmosomal molecules is impaired. In addition, the structure and function of many of the desmosomal molecules have been determined, and a number of the molecular interactions between desmosomal proteins have now been elucidated. Finally, the molecular constituents of desmosomes and other adhesive complexes are now known to function not only in cell adhesion, but also in the transduction of intracellular signals that regulate cell behavior.

AB - Cell-cell adhesion is thought to play important roles in development, in tissue morphogenesis, and in the regulation of cell migration and proliferation. Desmosomes are adhesive intercellular junctions that anchor the intermediate filament network to the plasma membrane. By functioning both as an adhesive complex and as a cell-surface attachment site for intermediate filaments, desmosomes integrate the intermediate filament cytoskelelon between cells and play an important role in maintaining tissue integrity. Recent observations indicate that tissue integrity is severely compromised in autoimmune and genetic diseases in which the function of desmosomal molecules is impaired. In addition, the structure and function of many of the desmosomal molecules have been determined, and a number of the molecular interactions between desmosomal proteins have now been elucidated. Finally, the molecular constituents of desmosomes and other adhesive complexes are now known to function not only in cell adhesion, but also in the transduction of intracellular signals that regulate cell behavior.

KW - Cadherins

KW - Catenins

KW - Cell adhesion

KW - Cytoskeleton

KW - Desmoplakin

KW - Plakoglobin

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ER -

Desmosomes: Intercellular Adhesive Junctions Specialized for Attachment of Intermediate Filaments

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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