Type I hemidesmosome assembly

Type I hemidesmosome assembly Hemidesmosomes (HDs) are specialized multiprotein junctional complexes that connect the keratin cytoskeleton of epithelial cells to the extracellular matrix and play a critical role in the maintenance of tissue structure and integrity (reviewed in Litjens et al., 2006). HDs mediate adhesion of epithelial cells to the underlying basement membrane in stratified squamous, transitional and pseudostratified epithelia (Jones et al., 1994 ; Borradori and Sonnenberg, 1996). Classical Type I HDs are found in stratified and pseudo-stratified epithelia, such as the skin, and contain a6b4, plectin, tetraspanin CD151 and the bullous pemphigoid (BP) antigens BP180 and BP230 (reviewed in Litjens et al., 2006). While HDs function in promoting stable adhesion, they are highly dynamic structures that are able to disassemble quickly, for example, during cell division, differentiation, or migration (see Margadant et al, 2008).