FIGURE 1.

Schematic showing the localization of components of epithelial desmosomes. The epidermis of the skin consists of multiple layers such as basal proliferating layer (stratum basale), differentiating spinous layer (stratum spinosum), granular layer (stratum ganulosum) and fully differentiated cornified layer (stratum corneum). Stratified epithelia express four isoforms of desmogleins (DSG1–4) and three types of desmocollin (DSC1–3), the latter of which also are present in a shorter and longer variant. But the expression pattern of these isoforms varies across the epidermis as shown above. The armadillo proteins plakoglobin (PG) and plakophilin (PKP)1–3 and desmoplakin (DP) are constantly expressed along with the epidermis. Among the desmogleins expressed in the epidermis DSG1 and DSG3 have higher expression in an inverted fashion across the epidermis. Homophilic and heterophilic interactions of DSG1 and DSC1, and DSG3 and DSC3 are the most predominant interactions present in the epidermis of the skin. Schematic was created with BioRender.Com