Desmossomos: characteristics and how they are found

The word demossomes comes from the Greek (demos-bond, somato-body) Desmosomes form a large tensile force structure, due to its intermediate filaments connected by two neighboring cells, moreover, it is an important junction cell.

Characteristics of desmosomes and how they are found

Desmosomes, also called adhesion macula, are part of the epithelial and muscle cells, and their main function is to keep the cells together. another, it occurs through the transmembrane proteins that provide a kind of anchorage, this anchorage plate in its nucleus contains proteins important for its functioning, like keratin, this keratin passes through the plasma membrane of adjacent cells and gathers in the cytoplasm, due to the strong keratin filament, the desmosome adheres firmly between the cells, it has the shape of a disk and very complex structures (as we are seeing, isn't it?)

Desmosomes can be found on the surface of plasma membranes (also called cytoplasmic or plasmalemma) which enables the delimitation of living cells (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) Desmosomes are also found in the heart muscle, due to the repeated beating of the heart, prevents cell damage, and in epithelial cells (skin)

For cell junction it is necessary:

• The intercellular space meets the protein strands of adjacent plates, there are
• Participation of transmembrane proteins of the cadherin family
• These transmembrane proteins are transported to the extracellular or intercellular environment (LEC) the extracellular environment is all liquid in our body, this fluid is found inside the cell, so they attach proteins from another paired cell to the ends of the cell's cadherins. adjacent
• Filaments with this association hold the cells together.

Epithelial cells:

•  Epithelial cells are cells that guarantee the lining of the body throughout its external cavity, and their function is to secrete and excretion of substances from the skin called Glandular function or glandular epithelial tissue, secretions can be mucous, serous and mixed.

 In Desmosomes, in addition to the epithelial cells composing its nucleus as mentioned earlier, the muscle cells are also part of it, these cells have elongated shapes and help in the movement of the body.

Desmosomes have the function of keeping the cells together as mentioned, this occurs through the circular plates of proteins, these circular plates are located in the intercellular space, staying together with the protein filament plates, on the surface of the membrane we find a anchoring plate, this plate has 12 distinct proteins, such as plakoglobins and desmoplaquins that also have the function of providing strength mechanics.

We desmossomos in mechanical force, how does it work?

We can give as an example of this function, in pemphigus disease:

Pemphigus Disease: Pemphigus disease mainly affects the skin organ, causing blisters of different sizes, which can appear scientifically in the skin. mucous membranes (throat, genitals, both in men and women, in the chest hair, scalp and face) with the severity of the disease can arise in the whole body.

There is still no treatment or medication for this disease to fight it, to prevent it from occurring for other blisters it is important to wear padded dressings, and wear clothes that do not rub against the skin.

The action of mechanical force together with the Desmosomes is satisfactory, it acts as follows:

• The skin cells that are affected by this disease have antibodies (defense cells), these antibodies directly attack the cadherin proteins, these cadherins are adhesion molecules, their function is to bind neighboring cells, with this "attack", the desmosomes are broken causing the skin cells are ruptured, with this rupture, it causes the appearance of bubbles, leakage of fluids, this whole process shows the action of desmosome in the anchoring of the cells in the skin.

Classification of joints

The cell junctions mentioned above can be classified into: basal lamina, hemidesmosomes, gap junction, occlusion zones.

Basal Blade: The basal lamina is like a mat of protein molecules, so it is considered a lattice of macromolecules in the epithelial tissue, it is located between the epithelial cells and connective tissue, has the function of boosting the ligament of epithelial cells and the underlying connective tissue, the connective tissue is part of one of the epithelial tissues, these epithelial tissues are located in the basal lamina, this location is allowed through cellular organizations, such as the hemidesmosomes,

hemidesmosomes: The hemidesmosomes or also called the middle Desmosomes, can be compared to the desmosomes we are studying, with a difference, instead of binding cells and holding them together, it has the function of binding the plasma membrane of a cell to the adjacent basal lamina, this happens through the keratin filaments, in its anchoring plate there are proteins of the integrin family, which are important proteins of accession.

Gap Junction: Gap junctions, or gap junctions, or even nexuses, have the function, as the name says, the communication between cells, this communication happens through the connexins, which are a kind of proteins, these proteins are the basis of all cells, allowing them to come into contact with each other, this process is considered harmonic and coordinated.

occlusion zones: The occlusion zones are another kind of cell junction, they are present in the epithelial cells, they have almost the same function as the desmosomes, allowing the neighboring cells are together, this junction prevents any passage of molecules between cells, thus forming a barrier, preventing the passage of molecules between the cells

All are extremely important to the process of joining them,

Follow the Image to better understand this process of union between them:

To better understand the entire desmosome process, I recommend a very didactic, fast and interactive video to understand a very complex subject:

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• Phagocytosis