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Fig. 3 | Molecular Neurodegeneration

Fig. 3

From: Cellular and pathological heterogeneity of primary tauopathies

Fig. 3

An illustration depicting a range of pathological tau lesions in different cell types in tauopathies. In the healthy brain (left), microtubule-binding protein tau interacts with neuronal microtubules to promote stability and facilitate axonal transport. While neurons have the highest expression level of tau, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes also express endogenous tau, albeit at lower levels. Microglia do not express endogenous tau. In a pathological condition (right), tau becomes aberrantly aggregated in the form of various inclusions, impaired in its physiological functions, such as supporting microtubule stability. In neurons, tau can accumulate in the forms of NFTs, neuropil threads, or Pick bodies. Tau also accumulates in astrocytes, mostly in primary tauopathies such as PSP, CBD, and GGT, in the form of tufted astrocytes, astrocytic plaques, and GAIs. Moreover, tau aggregates in oligodendrocytes in the form of coiled bodies or GOIs. Microglia do not form tau inclusions, while accumulating studies have suggested that they may contribute to tau propagation

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