Size of desmosomes and hemidesmosomes in normal human epidermis.

The dimensions of desmosomes and hemidesmosomes in normal human epidermis, i.e. their length and thickness, were studied in ordinary ultrathin sections. The length of desmosomes in the inner and middle squamous cell layer was 310 nm and 300 nm, while the thickness was 31 nm and 30 nm, respectively. In the outer squamous cell layer the values increased to 340 nm and 35 nm, respectively. The percentage total desmosomal length in relation to the perimeter of a cell showed the same tendency.