Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Experimental Approaches for Biochemical Analysis of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Its Disease-associated Variants
Published on: November 28, 2025
GFAP in health and disease
1Department of Astrocyte Biology & Neurodegeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is the main intermediate filament protein in mature astrocytes, but also an important component of the cytoskeleton in astrocytes during development. Major recent developments in astrocyte biology and the discovery of novel intermediate filament functions enticed the interest in the function of GFAP. The discovery of various GFAP splice variants gave an additional boost to explore this protein in more detail. The structural role of GFAP in astrocytes has been widely accepted for a long time, but over the years, GFAP has been shown to be involved in astrocyte functions, which are important during regeneration, synaptic plasticity and reactive gliosis. Moreover, different subpopulations of astrocytes have been identified, which are likely to have distinctive tasks in brain physiology and pathology, and which are not only classified by their spatial and temporal appearance, but also by their specific expression of intermediate filaments, including distinct GFAP isoforms. The presence of these isoforms enhances the complexity of the astrocyte cytoskeleton and is likely to underlie subtype specific functions. In this review we discuss the versatility of the GFAP cytoskeletal network from gene to function with a focus on astrocytes during human brain development, aging and disease.
Related Concept Videos
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets
Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
G Protein-coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...
