Tau: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 03:41, 13 February 2025

Overview of the Greek letter Tau

Tau (_, _)[edit]

Tau (uppercase _, lowercase _) is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 300. The letter is derived from the Phoenician letter Taw, which is depicted in the image to the right.

History[edit]

Tau originated from the Phoenician alphabet, where it was called Taw. The Phoenician letter Taw is the ancestor of the Greek Tau, as well as the Latin letter T and the Cyrillic letter _.

Usage in Greek[edit]

In the Greek language, Tau represents the voiceless alveolar plosive /t/. It is used in various Greek words and is a common letter in the Greek alphabet.

Mathematical and Scientific Uses[edit]

Tau is used in various scientific and mathematical contexts. In mathematics, it is sometimes used to represent the golden ratio, although this is more commonly denoted by the letter Phi. In physics, Tau can represent torque, the time constant in RC circuits, or the tau lepton in particle physics.

Related Letters and Symbols[edit]

T - The Latin letter T, derived from Tau.
_ - The Cyrillic letter _, also derived from Tau.
Taw - The Phoenician letter from which Tau is derived.

Related Pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Tau''' is a [[protein]] that in humans is encoded by the ''MAPT'' ([[microtubule-associated protein tau]]) gene. It is abundant in the [[neurons]] of the [[central nervous system]] and is less common elsewhere, but is also expressed at very low levels in [[CNS astrocytes]] and [[oligodendrocytes]].
+{{Short description|Overview of the Greek letter Tau}}
+{{Greek alphabet}}
-== Function ==
+==Tau (_, _)==
-Tau proteins interact with [[tubulin]] to stabilize [[microtubules]] and promote tubulin assembly into microtubules. Tau has two ways of controlling microtubule stability: isoforms and phosphorylation.
+[[File:Phoenician_taw.svg|thumb|right|Phoenician letter Taw]]
+'''Tau''' (uppercase _, lowercase _) is the 19th letter of the [[Greek alphabet]]. In the system of [[Greek numerals]], it has a value of 300. The letter is derived from the [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] letter [[Taw]], which is depicted in the image to the right.
-=== Isoforms ===
+==History==
-Six tau isoforms exist in brain tissue. These result from alternative splicing in exons 2, 3, and 10 of the tau gene. They can be divided into two groups based on their number of binding domains. Three isoforms have three binding domains and the other three have four binding domains. The binding domains are located in the carboxy-terminus of the protein and bind to microtubules. The isoforms with four binding domains are better at stabilizing microtubules than those with three binding domains. The isoforms are differentially expressed in different cells and at different times in development.
+Tau originated from the [[Phoenician alphabet]], where it was called Taw. The Phoenician letter Taw is the ancestor of the Greek Tau, as well as the [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] letter T and the [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] letter _.
-=== Phosphorylation ===
+==Usage in Greek==
-Phosphorylation of tau is regulated by a host of kinases. For example, PKN, a protein kinase, phosphorylates tau, causing detachment from microtubules and disruption of the cytoskeleton. Hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein (tau inclusions, pTau) can result in the self-assembly of tangles of paired helical filaments and straight filaments, which are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
+In the [[Greek language]], Tau represents the voiceless alveolar plosive /t/. It is used in various Greek words and is a common letter in the Greek alphabet.
-== Clinical significance ==
+==Mathematical and Scientific Uses==
-Tau protein is a highly soluble microtubule-associated protein (MAP). In humans, these proteins are mostly found in neurons compared to non-neuronal cells. One of tau's main functions is to modulate the stability of axonal microtubules. Other nervous system MAPs may perform similar functions, as suggested by tau knockout mice that did not show abnormalities in brain development – possibly due to compensation by other MAPs.
+Tau is used in various scientific and mathematical contexts. In mathematics, it is sometimes used to represent the golden ratio, although this is more commonly denoted by the letter [[Phi (letter)|Phi]]. In physics, Tau can represent torque, the time constant in RC circuits, or the tau lepton in particle physics.
-== See also ==
+==Related Letters and Symbols==
-* [[Alzheimer's disease]]
+* [[T (letter)|T]] - The Latin letter T, derived from Tau.
-* [[Frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17]]
+* [[_ (Cyrillic)|_]] - The Cyrillic letter _, also derived from Tau.
-* [[Pick's disease]]
+* [[Taw (letter)|Taw]] - The Phoenician letter from which Tau is derived.
-* [[Progressive supranuclear palsy]]
-* [[Corticobasal degeneration]]
-* [[Chronic traumatic encephalopathy]]
-== References ==
+==Related Pages==
-<references />
+* [[Greek alphabet]]
+* [[Phoenician alphabet]]
+* [[Greek numerals]]
+* [[Golden ratio]]
-[[Category:Proteins]]
+[[Category:Greek alphabet]]
-[[Category:Neurodegenerative disorders]]
-[[Category:Alzheimer's disease]]
-[[Category:Microtubule-associated proteins]]
-{{stub}}