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Cell junctions are also especially important in enabling communication between neighboring cells via specialized protein complexes called communicating (gap) junctions. Cell junctions are also important in reducing stress placed upon cells. In plants, similar communication channels are known as plasmodesmata, and in fungi they are called septal ...
Schematic of cell adhesion. Cell adhesion is the process by which cells interact and attach to neighbouring cells through specialised molecules of the cell surface. This process can occur either through direct contact between cell surfaces such as cell junctions or indirect interaction, where cells attach to surrounding extracellular matrix, a gel-like structure containing molecules released ...
Strengthening of epithelial cells with these intermediate filaments may prevent onset of apoptosis, or cell death, by reducing the probability of stress. [29] Intermediate filaments are most commonly known as the support system or "scaffolding" for the cell and nucleus while also playing a role in some cell functions.
The actin filament network in non-muscle cells is highly dynamic. The actin filament network is arranged with the barbed-end of each filament attached to the cell's peripheral membrane by means of clamped-filament elongation motors, the above-mentioned "actoclampins", formed from a filament barbed-end and a clamping protein (formins, VASP, Mena ...
The plus ends of the actin filaments are located at the tip of the microvillus and are capped, possibly by capZ proteins, [2] while the minus ends are anchored in the terminal web composed of a complicated set of proteins including spectrin and myosin II. The space between microvilli at a cell's surface is called the intermicrovillous space.
Intermediate filaments (IFs) are cytoskeletal structural components found in the cells of vertebrates, and many invertebrates. [1] [2] [3] Homologues of the IF protein have been noted in an invertebrate, the cephalochordate Branchiostoma. [4] Intermediate filaments are composed of a family of related proteins sharing common structural and ...
Plectin is a giant protein found in nearly all mammalian cells which acts as a link between the three main components of the cytoskeleton: actin microfilaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments. [5] In addition, plectin links the cytoskeleton to junctions found in the plasma membrane that structurally connect
Adherens junctions uniquely disassemble in uterine epithelial cells to allow the blastocyst to penetrate between epithelial cells. [3] A similar cell junction in non-epithelial, non-endothelial cells is the fascia adherens. It is structurally the same, but appears in ribbonlike patterns that do not completely encircle the cells.