Tau Protein Antibody

Tau (microtubule-associated protein tau, neurofibrillary tangle protein, paired helical filament-tau, PHF-tau, MAPT) proteins promote microtubule assembly and stability, and are thought to be involved in the establishment and maintenance of neuronal polarity. The C-terminus binds axonal microtubules while the N-terminus binds neural plasma membrane components, suggesting that tau functions as a linker protein between both. Axonal polarity is predetermined by tau localization (in the neuronal cell) in the domain of the cell body defined by the centrosome. The short isoforms allow plasticity of the cytoskeleton whereas the longer isoforms preferentially play a role in its stabilization. Tau protein subcellular location is in the axons of neurons, in the cytosol, and in association with plasma membrane components.