EM 101 Desmosome

Desmosome

Transmission electron micrograph of a desmosome between adjacent cells in the epidermis of skin.

A desmosome, also known as a macula adherens, is a specialized spot-like structure for cell-to-cell adhesion. It consists of disc-shaped structures on the surface of one cell that are matched with identical structures on the adjacent cell surface.

• Cadherins (yellow) - large, transmembrane proteins that span the extracellular space between adjacent cell membranes
  • Desmoglein and desmocollin
• Dense plaques (purple) on the cytoplasmic side of each cell membrane
  • Desmoplakin and plakoglobin - anchoring proteins that bind the cytoplasmic domains of cadherins to intermediate filaments
• Keratin (blue) - intermediate filaments
• Cytoplasm (left cell, green; right cell, tan)

Desmosomes are abundant on the lateral surfaces of epithelial cells that must withstand mechanical stress (e.g., skin).

Courtesy of Douglas E. Kelly, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA