Dictionary of Allergies .. Adhering junctions

Adhering junctions

Surface epithelial cells make contact by three types of junction. 1. Adhering junctions include the zonula adherens adherens(forming a belt-like structure encircling the cell), macula adherens (‘spot’ desmosomes), and hemidesmosomes, which join cells to their basal lamina. The junctions are linked to the cell cytoskeleton via actin-like filaments. 2.The tight junction form a belt around the apicolateral borders of the epithelial cells and act to form a selectively permeable resistive barrier to the paracellular movement of ions, macromolecules, and water. 3.Gap  (‘nexus’) junctions allow cells to communicate directly. Desmosomes are intercellular junctions responsible for strong cell-cell adhesion in epithelia and cardiac muscle. Numerous studies have shown that the other major type of epithelial cell adhesion, the adherens junction, is destabilized by src-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of two of its principal components, E-cadherin and beta-catenin.

References

Garrod DR, Fisher C, Smith A, Nie Z. Pervanadate stabilizes desmosomes. Cell Adh Migr. 2008 Jul;2(3):161-6. Epub 2008 Jul 3.