Back to Search Start Over

A Decade of Tau Transgenic Animal Models and Beyond

Authors :
Nicole Schonrock
Jürgen Götz
Lars M. Ittner
Natasha Deters
Andreas Wiesner
Yazi D. Ke
Laita Bokhari
Amy Doldissen
Source :
Brain Pathol
Publication Year :
2007
Publisher :
Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2007.

Abstract

The first tau transgenic mouse model was established more than a decade ago. Since then, much has been learned about the role of tau in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Animal models, both in vertebrates and invertebrates, were significantly improved and refined as a result of the identification of pathogenic mutations in Tau in human cases of frontotemporal dementia. They have been instrumental for dissecting the cross-talk between tau and the second hallmark lesion of Alzheimer's disease, the Abeta peptide-containing amyloid plaque. We discuss how the tau models have been used to unravel the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease, to search for disease modifiers and to develop novel treatment strategies. While tau has received less attention than Abeta, it is rapidly acquiring a more prominent position and the emerging view is one of a synergistic action of Abeta and tau in Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the existence of a number of neurodegenerative diseases with tau pathology in the absence of extracellular deposits underscores the relevance of research on tau.

Details

Language :
English
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Brain Pathol
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....d0dc40664b1b4f228a3cca0390f4523c