Tau: a microtubule-associated protein that regulates microtubule assembly and stability. Apparently involved in the establishment and maintenance of neuronal polarity. Mutations can result in several neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, frontotemporal dementia, cortico-basal degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy. The C-terminus binds axonal microtubules while the N-terminus binds neural plasma membrane components, suggesting that tau functions as a linker. Axonal polarity is predetermined by tau localization (in the neuronal cell) in the domain of the cell body defined by the centrosome. Nine differentially spliced isoforms have been described. The short isoforms allow plasticity of the cytoskeleton, whereas the longer isoforms may preferentially play a role in its stabilization.
Protein type: Cytoskeletal
Cellular Component: microtubule; neuron projection; cell; postsynaptic density; cytosol; microtubule cytoskeleton; growth cone; axon; tubulin complex; cytoplasm; plasma membrane; axoneme; intracellular; nucleus
Molecular Function: protein domain specific binding; protein binding; enzyme binding; protein phosphatase 2A binding; microtubule binding; protein complex binding; apolipoprotein binding; protein kinase binding; SH3 domain binding
Biological Process: axon extension; apoptosis; positive regulation of microtubule polymerization; positive regulation of axon extension; axon cargo transport; neuron migration; female pregnancy; microtubule cytoskeleton organization and biogenesis; adult walking behavior; microtubule-based process; mitochondrion transport along microtubule; response to organic substance; neuron differentiation; axonogenesis; negative regulation of intracellular transport; regulation of autophagy; brain development; induction of apoptosis by oxidative stress; response to nutrient
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