hemidesmosome /hemi·des·mo·some/ (-des´mo-sōm) a structure representing half of a desmosome, found on the basal surface of some epithelial cells, forming the site of attachment between the basal surface of the cell and the basement membrane.
hemidesmosome (hem´ēdez´mō-sōm),
hem·i·des·mo·some (h m  -dz m -s m, -ds-)n. Any of the specialized structures representing half desmosomes that occur on the basal surface of certain stratified squamous epithelial cells. |
hemidesmosome (hem´ēdez´mō-sōm),
n 1. one half of a cell junction (desmosome).
2. the connection site between the surface of the tooth and the epithelium as a part of the epithelial attachment as well as the interface between the epithelium and connective tissues.
2. the connection site between the surface of the tooth and the epithelium as a part of the epithelial attachment as well as the interface between the epithelium and connective tissues.
hemidesmosome
see half desmosome.
desmosome
A site of adhesion between two adjacent cells, such as in the corneal epithelium. It consists of a small, dense body in which the two halves are separated by an intercellular gap filled with extracellular substance. The basal cells are attached at irregular intervals to the underlying basement membrane (adjacent to Bowman's layer) by hemidesmosomes (one half of a desmosome). Thus, scraping off the epithelium usually leaves fragments of the basal cells attached to the basement membrane.
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