A desmosome is a type of adhering junction between cells that make up body tissues that are subjected to stretching and pulling, such as the skin. This type of junction provides very tight contact between adjacent cells and allows the cells to function as a unit.

Belt desmosomes are attachment sites that circle a cell, and spot desmosomes are small points of attachment across a cell's surface.


This writeup is based on work I did for the science dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.