Desmosomic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the specialized protein structures called desmosomes that bind neighboring cells together firmly
2. Of or pertaining to the small spot-like junctions between cells that hold tissues such as skin and heart muscle intact
3. Characterizing the adhesive cell-to-cell attachment plaques that give tissues their mechanical strength and cohesion

Etymology: "Desmosomic" is an alternative form of "desmosomal," and both are built from "desmosome" plus an adjective-forming suffix. The base word is the one that matters: a desmosome is a small structure that binds neighbouring cells together, and its name comes from the Greek "desmos," meaning "bond" or "band," combined with "soma," meaning "body." Put together, the name describes a body that ties things together, which suits a cell junction that acts like a rivet between two cells. The ending is the ordinary English adjectival suffix "-al" in one form and "-ic" in the other, both used to mean "relating to" or "of the nature of." So a desmosomal or desmosomic feature is one connected with desmosomes, such as a desmosomal protein or a desmosomic junction. Because the word is a plain combination of a scientific noun and a standard suffix, its history is simply that of its parts, with the main interest lying in the Greek roots of "desmosome."