Tight junctions (blue dots) between cells are connected areas of the plasma membrane that stitch cells together. Adherens junctions (red dots) join the actin filaments of neighboring cells together.

Cells hold on to each other through junctions that serve to connect the neighboring cells. At least three types of junctions are known: tight junctions, adherens junctions, and desmosomes.

The lateral surfaces of epithelial cells also contain several other types of specialized junctions ... to metabolic signals (Figure 2, Figure 3). Cell signaling isn't just central to tissue ...