Fig. 1.

Illustration of the supracellular anchoring system connecting the epithelium with the basement membrane zone (BMZ) and the ECM. Intermediate filaments of columnar and basal cells are connected together with desmosomes. Intermediate filaments of basal cells [cytokeratins (CK) 5 and 14] connected to desmosomes are also attached to hemidesmosomes. Hemidesmosomes are attached to the lamina (l.) densa by laminin 5. Collagen VII anchoring fibrils attach to laminin 5 in the l. densa, and collagen I fibers in the l. reticularis. The l. reticularis is attached to the ECM by oxytalan fibers of the elastic lamina.