Type III intermediate filament proteins that assemble into neurofilaments, the major cytoskeletal element in nerve axons and dendrites. They consist of three distinct polypeptides, the neurofilament triplet. Types I, II, and IV intermediate filament proteins form other cytoskeletal elements such as keratins and lamins. It appears that the metabolism of neurofilaments is disturbed in Alzheimer's disease, as indicated by the presence of neurofilament epitopes in the neurofibrillary tangles, as well as by the severe reduction of the expression of the gene for the light neurofilament subunit of the neurofilament triplet in brains of Alzheimer's patients. (Can J Neurol Sci 1990 Aug;17(3):302)

Annotation

/biosyn /physiol permitted

DUI

D016900 MeSH Browser

CUI

M0025716

Previous indexing

Intermediate Filament Proteins (1982-1991); Nerve Tissue Proteins (1970-1982)

History note

92; was NEUROFILAMENT PROTEINS (NM) 1977-91

Online note

use NEUROFILAMENT PROTEINS (NM) to search NEUROFILAMENT PROTEINS 1977-91

Public note

92; NEUROFILAMENT PROTEINS was indexed under INTERMEDIATE FILAMENT PROTEINS 1982-91 & NERVE TISSUE PROTEINS 1977-82