Where Are Desmosomes Commonly Found and What Is Their Function?

Desmosomes are particularly common in epithelia that need to withstand abrasion (see skin). Desmosomes are also found in cardiac cells, but the intermediate filament in this case is desmin, not keratin (which is found in epithelial cells). The picture shows an EM of a desmosome formed between two cells.

Where are desmosomes commonly found?

Desmosomes are one of the stronger cell-to-cell adhesion types and are found in tissue that experience intense mechanical stress, such as cardiac muscle tissue, bladder tissue, gastrointestinal mucosa, and epithelia.

What are desmosomes and their function?

Desmosomes are specialized and highly ordered membrane domains that mediate cell-cell contact and strong adhesion. ... By mediating both cell–cell adhesion and cytoskeletal linkages, desmosomes mechanically integrate cells within tissues and thereby function to resist mechanical stress [1-3].