Desmosomes in Human Disease

Abstract

Tissue integrity is crucial for maintaining the homeostasis of living organisms. Abnormalities that affect sites of cell-cell contact can cause a variety of debilitating disorders. The desmosome is an essential cell-cell junctional protein complex in tissues that undergo stress, and it orchestrates intracellular signal transduction. Desmosome assembly and junctional integrity are required to maintain the overall homeostasis of a tissue, organ, and organism. This review discusses the desmosome and the human diseases associated with its disruption.