Role of desmosomal components in the initiation and metastasis of oral cancer-A review.

Desmosomes are composed of a number of proteins, including cadherins, armadillo proteins and plakoplilins, which are responsible for mediating cell-cell adhesion. Cadherins are transmembrane proteins that bind to each other on adjacent cells, forming a strong adhesive bond between the cells. In normal tissues, desmosomes help to maintain the structural integrity of the tissue by holding the cells together.