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Alpha Synuclein: A Therapeutic Target And Biomarker For Parkinson’S Disease, Max Chase

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s Disease, and the most common motor disorder. In fact, nearly a third of those with AD have PD. A major hallmark of PD is the appearance of Lewy Bodies, proteinaceous cytoplasm inclusions, that build up and spread throughout the CNS in a prion like fashion. The major component of these Lewy Bodies is a protein called alpha-synuclein. Alpha-syn is a 14kDa protein made of 140 amino acids and found in the presynaptic ends of CNS neurons, acting as a chaperone and regulator. The protein is also found in the …