Cell biology - adhesion and movement Flashcards
Features of epithelial cells
- apical surface is free
- basal surface is attached to basement membrane
- lateral surfaces adhere to neighbouring cells
- presence of specialised cell-cell junctions
- polarised morphology
- tight junctions prevent proteins moving
Give 2 examples of cell-cell junctions
adherens
desmosomes
Give an example of a cell-matrix junction
hemidesmosome
Which junctions interact with intermediate filaments
desmosomes and hemidesmosomes
Which junctions interact with actin microfilaments?
adherens junctions and focal adhesions
Which junctions are for adhesion?
adherens
desmosomes
hemidesmosomes
focal adhesions
Which junctions are for communication?
Gap junctions
What are tight junctions for?
barrier and fence functions
What are the layers of the skin?
Epidermis
Dermis
Hypodermis
Epidermal appendages
What is the epidermis composed of?
- stratified squamous keratinised epithelium
- kertinocytes, melanocytes, langerhans cells
What is the dermis composed of?
Dense fibro-elastic connective tissue
What is the hypodermis composed of?
Loose fibro-fatty connective tissue
What is the epidermal appendages made of?
hair follicles
sebaceous glands
sweat glands
From stem cells to skin surface…
- stem cells are only found in the basal layer
- stem cells divide to produce new cells
- cells stop dividing and leave cell cycle
- cells migrate towards surface as they differentiate
- surface cells are dead, flat and anuclear
desmosomes
- cell-cell adhesions
- anchor keratin intermediate filaments to membrane
- found on lateral (on basal surfaces they are hemidesmosomes)
What is pemphigus?
An autoimmune disease that causes blistering of the skin due to defective cell-cell adhesion
What is pemphigus foliaceus ?
Autoanitbodies recognise desmoglein 1
Blistering occurs in the upper epidermis
What is pemphigus vulgaris?
Autoantibodies recognise desmoglein 3
Blistering occurs in lower epidermis
Hemidesmosomes
- mediate cell-extracellular matrix adhesion
- found in simple and stratified epithelia at the basal surface of basal layer cells
- anchor keratin intermediate filaments to membrane
Adherens junctions
- mediate cell-cell adhesion
- found in simple and stratified epithelia
- anchor actin filaments to the membrane
What are components of the basement membrane?
laminin - contains collagen and cell-binding domains, helps cells attach to organising matrix
collage IV - 3 collagen a-chains wound to form triple helical structure, resist stretching forces
Hemidesmosome composition
Integrins - adhesion molecules
membrane spanning protein BPAG2
cytoplasmic protein BPAG1 and plectin
Epidermolysis bullosa
Family of genetic blistering diseases of the skin that are caused by defective cell-ECM adhesion
What are the 3 types of epidermolysis bullosa?
EB simplex - localised to hands and feet, mild
Juncitonal EB - large areas of skin covered by blistered skin at birth
Dystrophic EB - repeated blistering and scarring throughout life, increased risk of squamous cell carcinomas