Review Article

Structure and Pathology of Tau Protein in Alzheimer Disease

Figure 2

Normal function of tau protein. Tau protein stabilizes microtubules through four tubulin binding domains (blue boxes) in case of the longest isoform. Binding of tau protein to the microtubules is maintained in equilibrium by coordinated actions of kinases and phosphatases. The phosphorylation of tau (pink balls) regulates its activity to bind to microtubules and can affect axonal transport. Tau protein may inhibit the plus-end-directed transport of vesicles along microtubules by kinesin.
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