Close-up view of a stage 3 embryo in vitro showing a schematic of trophoblast cell junctions. Extremely close connections called tight junctions are formed between the membranes of trophoblastic cells. Disk-shaped junctions called desmosomes also form between trophoblast cell membranes.
From: Veeck and Zaninovic´, 2003. Reproduced with permission of the publisher, Francis and Taylor Group.
Keywords: cell membrane, desmosome, tight junction, trophoblast, trophoblast cells
Source: The Virtual Human Embryo.