Abstract:
Parkinson's Disease (PD) studies suggest that the onset may be attributed to synaptic dysfunction. Specifically, the mechanisms required for release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles via exocytosis, and internalization of the plasma membrane through endocytosis may be affected. Regulation of these processes is not well understood, though preliminary data suggests that a protein family called Annexin Proteins may be involved. [...] Annexin gene expression patterns were also studied to determine relationships within the family and with other proteins that may be similarly regulated. These findings may offer insight into how these protein-protein interactions, and synaptic dysfunction affect the onset of neurodegeneration leading to PD.