A type of junctional complex, they are localized spot-like adhesions randomly arranged on the lateral sides of plasma membranes.

[3] The extracellular core region, approximately 34 nm in length, contains desmoglein and desmocollin, which are in the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins.

[6] Desmoglein and desmocollin have a single pass transmembrane region plus an intracellular anchor to secure its position in the cell membrane.

[3] The outer dense plaque, which is about 15–20 nm in length, contains the intracellular ends of desmocollin and desmoglein, the N-terminus side of desmoplakin, and the armadillo family of mediatory proteins plakoglobin and plakophilin.

[citation needed] The inner dense plaque, also about 15–20 nm in length, contains the C-terminus end of desmoplakin and their attachment to keratin intermediate filaments.

All desmoplakins have an N-terminal head, a C-tail consisting of three plakin repeats, and a glycine-serine-arginine rich domain (GSR) at the C-end.

[8] Symptoms of ACM include fainting, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations and the condition is treated by implanting a small defibrillator device.

[3] Epidermolysis bullosa simplex is an epidermal blistering disease caused by mutations in genes coding for keratin 5 and 14, which attach to desmoplakin.