Determination of the Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in a Cell Culture Model of Neurodegenerative Tauopathy Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases charac ter ized by the aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Among all forms of neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is associated with progressive memory loss, is the most common and challenging. Currently, AD is the fourth leading cause of death and more than 5 million people have been diagnosed with AD in t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s. Two fo r m s o f p ro t e i n aggregates are involved in AD: extracellular aggregates made of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) and intracellular aggregates of tau protein, defined as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Mitochondria play crucial roles in cellular metabolism as the “power house of the cell.” As the major sites of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondria are also the primary targets of ROS. Oxidative stress is caused by the imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants.1 ROS, such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and free radical superoxide anion (O 2 -), are highly reac tive chemicals with unpaired valence shell electrons. When compared with other organs, the brain is more susceptible to oxidative stress because of its relatively high metabolic rate and low antioxidant concentration.2
— by Xiao Tan
Spring 2014
The Exley
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