Desmosomes are adhesive epithelial junctions that contain two distinct classes of cadherin-related glycoproteins (desmogleins and desmocollins), both of which occur as several different isoforms whose expression is related to epithelial differentiation. We have now isolated cDNA clones encoding a human desmocollin that is expressed in the more differentiated layers of human epidermis. This isoform has 53% amino acid identity with the previously isolated human (type 3) desmocollin, which is expressed in the basal layers of the epidermis. However, the N- and C-termini of the mature proteins are more highly conserved. Using a panel of somatic cell hybrids, human type 1 desmocollin (gene DSC1) has been assigned to chromosome 18, the same location as the other desmocollin gene (DSC3) and the three desmoglein (DSG) genes already mapped.