Term Name:	desmosome
Synonyms:	macula adherens, spot desmosome
Definition:	A cell-cell junction in which: on the cytoplasmic surface of each interacting plasma membrane is a dense plaque composed of a mixture of intracellular anchor proteins; a bundle of keratin intermediate filaments is attached to the surface of each plaque; transmembrane adhesion proteins of the cadherin family bind to the plaques and interact through their extracellular domains to hold the adjacent membranes together by a Ca2+-dependent mechanism.
Ontology:	GO: Cellular Component [GO:0030057]    QuickGO    AmiGO