The hemidesmosomes are multifunctional multiprotein complex of great importance to the integrity of epithelia. Exercise of mediators of cell adhesion and confer resistance to mechanical stress, linking the extracellular matrix with cytokeratin filaments in the cell. They consist of three components transmembrane: α6β4 integrin, BP180-type collagen XVII and integrin-associated tetraspanina CD151. Integrin α6β4 is a receptor for laminin with high specificity for laminin-5, or basal membrane protein that binds to epidermal cytokeratin through plectina and BP230. (more...)