Tau Protein Tangle
by Anatomical Travelogue
Title
Tau Protein Tangle
Artist
Anatomical Travelogue
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Medical visualization showing a tangle of tau protein (pictured in tan) after the disassembly of a microtubule. Microtubules are a structural part of a cell, found in the cytoplasm. Microtubules are hollow and made up of polymerized proteins called tubulin (shown disassembled in blue and purple). The disassembly of these proteins is called depolymerization. Microtubules can go through constant cycles of growth and shrinkage, however will become unstable and shrink in size if they depolymerize more often than they polymerize. Unstable microtubules that frequently depolymerize may produce tangled fibers consisting of the tau protein. Tau proteins help to stabilize microtubules, and isolated tangles of tao within the body are linked to decreased neurological function. Microtubules as a whole play an important role in neural function, and unstable microtubules can negatively impact brain activity. This instability has been linked to many neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Uploaded
September 15th, 2018
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