<prompt> Which of the following helps to anchor an epithelial cell to the basement membrane?Adherent junctionConnexonGap junctionHemidesmosome  <response>: Hemidesmosomes are multiprotein complexes that facilitate the stable adhesion of basal epithelial cells to the underlying basement membrane. The mechanical stability ofhemidesmosomes relies on multiple interactions of a few protein components that form a membrane-embedded tightly-ordered complex. Ref ganongs review of medical physiology 25e 