Focal Adhesions

**Definition:** An anchoring junction of the cell to a non-cellular substrate. It is composed of a specialized area of the plasma membrane where bundles of the ACTIN CYTOSKELETON terminate and attach to the transmembrane linkers, INTEGRINS, which in turn attach through their extracellular domains to EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX PROTEINS.

**Tree numbers:** - A11.284.149.165.165.285

**Synonyms:** - Adhesion Plaques - Cell-Matrix Adherens Junctions - Focal Contacts