Final answer:
Cadherins are the cell adhesion molecules that enable cells to adhere at adherens junctions or desmosomes. These structures provide strength to tissues by linking cells together and attaching to the cytoskeleton.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of cell adhesion molecule associated with cells being held together by adherens junctions is cadherin. Adherens junctions, also known as desmosomes, are critical for the maintenance of tissue integrity. They act as a 'glue' that adheres cells together to form cohesive tissues and sheets of cells, utilizing cadherins that extend across the intercellular space to connect neighboring cell membranes. Furthermore, these cadherin molecules link to intracellular plaque proteins which are attached to the intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton, thus enriching the strength of the tissue.
There are two main types of adherens junctions: belt desmosomes (zonula adherens) that encircle the entire cell and spot desmosomes (macula adherens) that attach cells at specific points. Both of these structures contribute to the balance of forces across the cell, enabling tissues to be strong yet flexible. It is the contractile protein actin, associated with these junctions on the cytoplasmic side, that influences the shape and folding of the epithelial tissue by forming either isolated patches or a belt-like structure.