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A cell junction (or intercellular bridge) is a type of structure that exists within the tissue of some multicellular organisms, such as animals. Cell junctions consist of multiprotein complexes that provide contact between neighbouring cells or between a cell and the extracellular matrix. They also build up the paracellular barrier of epithelia and control the paracellular transport. Cell junctions are especially abundant in epithelial tissues. Cell junctions are especially important in enabling communication between neighboring cells via specialized proteins called communicating junctions. Cell junctions are also important in reducing stress placed upon cells. ==Types== In vertebrates, there are three major types of cell junction: *Adherens junctions, desmosomes and hemidesmosomes (anchoring junctions) *Gap junctions (communicating junction) *Tight junctions (occluding junctions) Invertebrates have several other types of specific junctions, for example septate junctions or the ''C. elegans'' apical junction. In multicellular plants, the structural functions of cell junctions are instead provided for by cell walls. The analogues of communicative cell junctions in plants are called plasmodesmata. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cell junction」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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