Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging
Published on: June 30, 2023
Vesicular dysfunction and pathways to neurodegeneration
Patrick A Lewis1,2,3
1Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Cellular control of vesicle biology and trafficking is critical for cell viability, with disruption of these pathways within the cells of the central nervous system resulting in neurodegeneration and disease. The past two decades have provided important insights into both the genetic and biological links between vesicle trafficking and neurodegeneration. In this essay, the pathways that have emerged as being critical for neuronal survival in the human brain will be discussed - illustrating the diversity of proteins and cellular events with three molecular case studies drawn from different neurological diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Lysosomal Hydrolases
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
Disorders of the Nervous Tissue
Homeostatic Imbalances:
Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory and cognitive abilities, attributed to the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Parkinson's disease arises from the...
Neural Regulation
Role of ER in the Secretory Pathway
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

