Progress in Analysis of Tau Protein

Abstract Tau protein, simply referred to as Tau, is a type of microtubule-associated protein involved in the development of nervous system. After experiencing conformational changes, abnormal mRNA splicing, etc., Tau dissociates from microtubules and undergoes a series of post-translational modification (PTM) to form pathological aggregation, which induces neurodegenerative diseases and tauopathies eventually. Numerous clinical studies suggest that it is of great significance for the early diagnosis, tracking, prevention and treatment of tauopathies by studying the pathological process of Tau protein, analyzing and evaluating its PTM and quantitative detection of concentration changes. In this paper, the conventional analysis methods for Tau protein at home and abroad were summarized and compared. Specifically, the related applications and latest research progresses of optical and electrochemical biosensors were mainly described. Furthermore, the summary of its future directions and the potential applications were proposed, which provided reference for the further research and application.