FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF
APPLIED BIOSCIENCE
AND
BIOTECHNOLOGY

NAME : Tanatswa Rutendo Nyamande

REG NUMBER: R202302V

LEVEL: 1;1

MODULE CODE: HABB135-molecular and cell biology

LECTURER: Mr.G.Dowo

MODE OF ENTRY: Conventional

Assignment Question
Write an essay on the different types of cell junctions that occur in plant and animal
tissues,clearly outlining their function
Cell junctions are class of cellular structures consisting of multiprotein complexes that provides
contact or adhesion between neighboring cells and the extra cellular matrix in animals.They form
barriers that inhibit the movement of water and solutions.they also help maintain the paracellular
barriers of epithilia and control paracellular transport.There are also important in enabling
communication between neighboring cells .There are four major types of cell juctions which are
Occluding junctions, Anchoring junctions, Channel-forming junctions, Signal-relaying junctions.
Occluding junction are also known as tight junctions.It is awater tight seal between two adjacent
cells. There are located at the apex of the lateral plasma membranes between adhering cells .
Tight juctions encircles each cell, forming a proteinaceous seal that regulates the diffusion of
ions and solutes between animal cells.This is known as the paracellular pathway. Tight juctions
provide fence and gate barrier.According to Zihni et al (2016) The “fence” maintains the
segregation of apical and basolateral membrane proteins and lipids and the “gate” is responsible
for regulating the paracellular pathway. Tight junctions prevent diffusion of plasma membrane
proteins and glycolipids. Tight junctions form a barrier that seals off body cavities from the
blood for example the tight junctions of the epithelial cell linning of the urinary bladder prevent
urine from leaking out into the extracellular space. According to Van Itallie and Anderson (2014)
tight junction composed of two families membrane proteins claudin and occluding,which
homotypic claudin–claudin and occludin–occludin complexes between cells.
We also have the anchoring junction ,they mechanically attaches a cell and its cytoskeleton to
neighboring cells or to the extracellular matrix. According to Wikipedia anchoring proteins
extend through the plasma membrane to link cytoskeletal protein in one cell to cytoskeletal
proteins in neighboring cells as well to protein in the extracellular matrix. There are three types
of anchoring junctions and they differ according to transmebrane linker protein that extend
through the membrane as well as the cytoskeletal anchor. The three types are desmosomes,
hemidesmosomes and adherens junctions.
Adherens junctions maintains the physical integrity of the cell of the epithelium cells.They
‘maintains the physical intergrity of the epithelial cell. They form adhesion belts between
epithelium cells. According to Takeichi ( 2014) The adherens junction initiates and maintains
cell–cell adhesion, regulates the organization of the underlying actin cytoskeleton, and
establishes a hub for cell signaling and regulation of gene transcription. Focal adhesions bind
cells on the extracellular matrix through integrins that link to actin filaments. Spots-like adherens
juctions help cells adhere to the extracellular both in vivo and in vitro where they are focal
points. Actin-linked cell-matrix adhesion forms by integrins. Focal contacts faciliate certain
types of cellular movement. .Classical adherens ,such as E-cadherin, are the main type of
transmembrane protein comprising the adherens junctions and contain five extra
cellularcadherinrepeat domains that engage in Ca2þ-dependent trans binding to a cadherin on the
opposing cell surface.
Desmosomes are only find in animal cells.They act like spot welds between adjacent epithelia
cell. Desmosomes comprise transmembrane cadherins of two subtypes,desmoglein and
desmocollin . Cadherins in the plasma membrane connect to intermediate filaments to create
desmosomes. According to Kowalczyk and Green( 2013) similar to classical cadherins
desmoglein and desmocollin cantains five extracellular cadherin repeat domains that form both
cis and trans interaction between opposing cells. Desmosomes are found in many tissues
especially abundant in skin, heart muscles and the neck of the uterus. Desmosomes pin adjacent
cells together which helps to ensure that cells in organs and tissues that have the ability to stretch
such as skin and heart muscles ,remain connected in an unbroken sheet. Desmosomes prevent
mechanical stress. Three components are present in the desmosomal adhesion which are the
intermediate filamaments inside the cell ,the bond betwwen intermediate filaments and
desmosomal adhesion melecules,the bond between intermediate filaments and desmosomal
adhesion molecules, and the bond provided by the desmosomal adhesion molecule.
https://biologydictionary.net/desmosomes/ states that All three components of desmosomal
adhesion are needed for dessmososmes to properly function in binding adjacent cells together ,so
if one of the components fails, desmosomes cannot bind cells properly.
https://biologydictionary.net/desmosomes/ states that the diagram below depicts how cells
adhere at desmosomes.

Hemidesmosomes connect an epithelial cell to the basal lamina.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemidesmosome states that hemidesmosomes form rivert- like
links between cytoskeleton an extracellular matrix components such as basal laminae that
underline epithilia.They act as riverts to distribute tensile. They are tired to intermediate
filaments in the cytoplasm their intermambrane anchors are intergrins . Hemidesmosomes
contribute to the attachment of the epithelial cells to underlying basements membrane in
stratified and other compex epithelia such as the skin. These multiprotein complexes determine
cell-stromal coherence and provide cells with cues critival for their polarization ,spatial
organization, and for the tissue architecture (Borradori and Sonnenberg 1996:Green and Jones
1996:Gumbiner 1996). These structures may appear stable which would counteract cell
migration and displacement their functional activities can be modulated. The regulation of the
adhesive interactions of hemidesmosomes with the underlying basement membrane is important
in many normal biologic processes such as wound healing an the tissue morphogenesis. The
importance of these complexes seen when expression of hemidesmosomal constiuents are altered
several types of blistering disorders of the skin are develop and is likely involved in
developments of cancers. Hemidesmosomes does not only save as structural adhesions only but
may also serve via intergrins as signaling devices.
Gap junctions is a type of channel forming junctions they serves as the direct connections
between adjacent cells, hence most cells communicate with their neighbours via the gape
junctions.they are the channels between neighbouring cells that allow transport of water ions and
other substances. They are many of gap junctions in animal cells.
https://biologydictionary.net/gap-junction/ states that gape junctions makes cells chemically or
electrically coupled. This means the cells are linked to each other and can transfer molecules to
each other used for reactions. Chemical signaling usually occur in the heart where cells receive
signals to contract the heart muscles as the same time through the gape junction.when cells start
to day the send signals through the gape junctions. Gape junctions are usually present low
density in adult epithelial cells but are found in low numbers during embryogenesis. Electrical
synapsis also relay on gape juctions, in many parts of the brain electrical synapsis is important.
The basic sub unit of the gape junction is the connexin unit.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409676/ states that six connexins form a
hexamer around a central pore called a connexon which is trafficked to the extracellular. Each
gap junction can contain a cluster of many thousands of connexons. Gape junctions have also
been implicated in the conducted pread of vasodilation .
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742079/ state that an intact endothelium is
required for conduction of vasodilation ,which does not decay with distance and so must cantain
a self – regenerative componets.
Plasmodesmata is a channel forming junction which is only found in plant cells. Adjacent cells
usualy communicate with each other through cytoplasmic connection which are the
plasmodesmata . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmodesma states that plasmodesmata are
microscopic channels wich traverse the cell walls of plant cells and some alga cells, enabling
transport and communication between them. Plasmodesmata contains a fine tubular structure, the
desmotubular .plasmodesmata are found on the cell war to allow direct cytoplasmic exchange
between cells. Plasmodesmata between two sister cells are formed during cytokinesis and they
are primary plasmodesmata. When the plasmodesmata are formed between two separated by an
extracellular matrix they are called secondary plasmodesmata.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/plasmodesmata states
tha the fundamental impotants of plasmodesmata is that they form a low resitance pathway
between two cells through which large hydrophilic molecules can travel faster than they would
take if they would have to pass through the plasma membrane to leave a cell through another
plasma membrane to enter the next cell. Plasmodesmata are lined with mabrane that is
continuours with the membranes of the adjacent cells. Molecules below a certain size can
move freely through the plasmodesmata channel by a process which moves substance down the
concentration gradient passive diffusioin .it is believed tha plamodesmata may expand to allow
the passage of bigger molecules such as proteins.
References

Br J Cancer. 2004 Apr 5; 90(7): 1450–14569 (accessed 14-10-2020)

Daniel A. Goodenough and David L. Paul Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2009
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742079/ (accessed 14-10-2020)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/plasmodesmata
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409676 (accessed 14-10-2020)
Kowalczyk AP, Green KJ. 2013.Structure, function, andregulation of
desmosomes.ProgMolBiolTranslSci116:95– 118
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmodesma (accessed 14-10-2020)
Randy Wayne, plant bioilogy in , 2010
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/plasmodesmata
(accessed 14-10-2020)
Takeichi M. 2014. Dynamic contacts: Rearranging adherens junctions to drive epithelial
remodelling. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 15: 397–410.
Van Itallie CM, Anderson JM. 2006. Claudinsand epithelial paracellular transport. Annu Rev
Physiol 68: 403–429. Van Itallie CM, Anderson JM. 2014.
ZihniC,MillsC,MatterK,BaldaMS.2016.Tightjunctions: Fromsimplebarrierstomultifunctional
molecular gates. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 17: 564–580.