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Tau Proteins

Meaning

Tau proteins are a family of microtubule-associated proteins predominantly expressed in neurons, where their primary physiological role is to stabilize the internal structure of axons and regulate axonal transport. In a pathological state, these proteins become excessively hyperphosphorylated and aggregate into insoluble neurofibrillary tangles, which is a hallmark pathology of several progressive neurodegenerative disorders, collectively known as tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of these toxic aggregates disrupts neuronal transport and signaling, leading to widespread cellular dysfunction.