tau protein
Definition
A protein that stabilizes microtubules in neurons; when it misfolds and aggregates, it is a primary hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia.
The biological equivalent of a structural engineer being forced to retire, only to remain on the job site and accidentally build barricades that block all the exits.
Examples
My tau proteins decided to host an uninvited rave inside my neurons, which explains why I just put my car keys in the freezer.
Researchers are hunting for ways to evict misfolded tau proteins, primarily because they have absolutely no respect for personal space in the brain.
If tau protein aggregates were professional organizers, they would be fired immediately for cluttering the neuronal highways with useless, tangled knots.