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1)intercellular connections

The document discusses various types of cell junctions, including tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes, and gap junctions, highlighting their functions, structures, and locations. It emphasizes their roles in maintaining tissue integrity, mechanical strength, and cell communication, as well as the implications of abnormalities associated with these junctions. Additionally, it outlines specific diseases related to mutations in junction proteins.

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anishrelite
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3 views

1)intercellular connections

The document discusses various types of cell junctions, including tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes, and gap junctions, highlighting their functions, structures, and locations. It emphasizes their roles in maintaining tissue integrity, mechanical strength, and cell communication, as well as the implications of abnormalities associated with these junctions. Additionally, it outlines specific diseases related to mutations in junction proteins.

Uploaded by

anishrelite
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cell

junctions
Cell junctions
• Intercellular junctions are specialized structures that connect adjacent cells,
allowing them to communicate, adhere to one another, and coordinate their
functions.
• Function

• Structure

• Location

• Abnormalities
Tight Junctions-
• Barrier: restrict the movement of solutes
Functions
and water between cells, helping to maintain

distinct concentrations of substances on

either side of the epithelium.

• Polarity: contribute to polarity by

maintaining separate environments for the

apical and basolateral surfaces of epithelial

cells.
Tight Junctions
Tight Junctions-location
Tight Junctions- Location

Gastrointestinal renal tubules blood-brain barrier


mucosa
Leaky tight junctions in PCT
Tight Junctions- Abnormalities

Lumen

• Clostridium difficile

• Vibrio Cholerae

• H. Pylori infection
Basolateral side
Tight Junctions- Abnormalities
Kernicterus

• Blood-brain barrier is not well developed in


infants

• Severe jaundice with excess indirect bilirubin


cross BBB

• Deposition in basal ganglia and brainstem

Severe jaundice • Movement disorders and hearing loss


• Mediate cell to cell adhesion.

• Provide mechanical strength by


linking the cytoskeletons of
adjacent cells, enabling them to
resist separation.
Adherens Junctions

• Cell Adhesion: Adherens junctions help


hold cells together, providing structural
cohesion in tissues.

• Tissue Morphogenesis: They play a key


role in shaping tissues during
development and in maintaining tissue
architecture.
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions

cardiac muscle cells blood-brain barrier Gastrointestinal


mucosa
Adherens Junctions- Tumor metastasis

• Metastasis- The spread of


cancer cells from the place
where they first formed to
another part of the body.
• Anchoring junctions that provide
additional mechanical strength
to tissues and are particularly
important in tissues subjected to
heavy stress, such as cardiac and
epithelial tissues
• Resistance to sheering and
abrasive force
Desmosomes
• Mechanical Strength: resistance to
stretching and shear forces.

• Structural integrity

• Cell Signaling: signaling pathways that


regulate cell functions such as
proliferation and differentiation.
Desmosomes
Desmosomes

cardiac muscle Gastrointestinal Skin


mucosa
Desmosomes
Pemphigus Vulgaris Arrhythmogenic Right
Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

A heart condition linked to


mutations in desmosomal
proteins, causing heart muscle
• Painful, flaccid blisters degeneration and arrhythmias.
• An autoimmune disease
• antibodies against desmogleins 1 & 3
• loss of cell adhesion in the skin and mucous membranes.
Cell
junction
proteins
Hemidesmosomes

• anchor epithelial cells to the


underlying basement
membrane, providing stability
to tissues.
Hemidesmosomes
• Plectin
• BP 230 (bullous
pemphigoid antigen 1)
Hemidesmosomes
• Adhesion: anchoring of epithelial cells to the basement membrane which
is crucial for tissue cohesion and protection against mechanical stress.

• Barrier Function: By anchoring cells, hemidesmosomes help maintain the


integrity of epithelial layers, which is essential for barrier functions, such as
those in the skin and respiratory tract.

• Signal Transduction: These structures participate in signaling pathways


that can influence cell survival, migration, and differentiation.
Hemidesmosomes- skin
Hemidesmosomes- applied aspects
Bullous pemphigoid

• Itchy, tense blisters

• antibodies to BP180 and BP230


Gap Junctions

• Ion transport: They enable the rapid transfer of


ions (like calcium and potassium), which is critical
for excitability and signaling in neurons and muscle
cells.

• Cell Communication: Gap junctions facilitate direct


cell-to-cell communication, enabling coordinated
responses in tissues like the heart, where they
allow for synchronized contractions.
• Six connexin proteins assemble to form a
Gap Junctions
hemichannel, known as a connexon.

• Two connexons from adjacent cells align


to create a complete gap junction
channel.

• Allow the passage of small molecules (up


to about 1 kDa) including ions, second
messengers, and metabolites, but they
restrict larger proteins and nucleic acids.
Gap Junctions

cardiac muscle Gastrointestinal


Bladder
mucosa
Gap Junctions mutations

• Charcot marie tooth disease- Cx32 mutation

• Cardiomyopathy and Atrial fibrillation- Cx 40

• Sensorineural hearing loss- Cx 30

• Cataract- Cx43
Summary
• Tight junctions: maintaining the integrity and functionality of epithelial layers,
regulating what can pass between cells

• Adherens junctions: for cell adhesion contributing to the mechanical strength and
integrity of tissues.

• Desmosome: mechanical strength and structural integrity in tissues under stress.

• Hemidesmosomes: anchoring epithelial cells to the basement membrane, ensuring


tissue stability and integrity.

• Gap junctions: for cellular communication and play critical roles in maintaining tissue
homeostasis and function.

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