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: axon; axoneme; cytoplasm; cytosol; dendrite; growth cone; microtubule; microtubule associated complex; microtubule cytoskeleton; neuron projection; nucleus; plasma membrane; postsynaptic density; tubulin complex
Molecular Function: apolipoprotein binding; enzyme binding; Hsp90 protein binding; microtubule binding; protein binding; protein complex binding; protein domain specific binding; protein kinase binding; protein phosphatase 2A binding; SH3 domain binding
Biological Process: adult walking behavior; apoptosis; axon cargo transport; axon extension; axonogenesis; brain development; female pregnancy; induction of apoptosis by oxidative stress; memory; microtubule cytoskeleton organization and biogenesis; microtubule-based process; mitochondrion transport along microtubule; negative regulation of intracellular transport; neurite development; neuron differentiation; neuron migration; positive regulation of axon extension; positive regulation of microtubule polymerization; regulation of autophagy; response to nutrient; response to organic substance
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