Tau Phosphorylated Thr217/p-Tau T217 [MD414]

Tau is a neuronal microtubule-associated protein found predominantly on axons. The function of Tau is to promote tubulin polymerization and stabilize microtubules. 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/MAPT localization in the neuronal cell in the domain of the cell body defined by the centrosome. The short isoforms allow plasticity of the cytoskeleton while the longer isoforms may preferentially play a role in its stabilization. In its hyper-phosphorylated form, Tau is the major component of paired helical filaments (PHF), the building block of neurofibrillary lesions in Alzheimer’s diseases (AD) brain. Phosphorylated tau at the 217 amino acid position (p-Tau T217), indicating the presence of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the hallmark pathologies of AD, is a highly accurate blood-based biomarker for detecting AD pathology. It is used primarily in symptomatic adults (50+ with cognitive impairment) alongside other diagnostics, it helps identify AD and monitor treatment, not as a standalone screening tool, with elevated levels suggesting AD-related changes.