Although both desmosomes and hemidesmosomes play crucial roles in cell adhesion, they exhibit key differences. Desmosomes primarily mediate cell-to-cell adhesion, whereas hemidesmosomes facilitate cell-to-matrix adhesion. The protein composition also varies; desmosomes use cadherins, while hemidesmosomes utilize integrins. Additionally, desmosomes link to intermediate filaments within the cell, whereas hemidesmosomes connect to the extracellular matrix.
