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Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Recombinant α- β- and γ-Synucleins Stimulate Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit Activity in Cell Free Assays
Published on: August 13, 2017
The Synaptic Function of α-Synuclein
Abstract:
α-Synuclein is an abundant neuronal protein which localizes predominantly to presynaptic terminals, and is strongly linked genetically and pathologically to Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. While the accumulation of α-synuclein in the form of misfolded oligomers and large aggregates defines multiple neurodegenerative diseases called "synucleinopathies", its cellular function has remained largely unclear, and is the subject of intense investigation. In this review, I focus on the structural characteristics of α-synuclein, its cellular and subcellular localization, and discuss how this relates to its function in neurons, in particular at the neuronal synapse.
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