: the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet see Alphabet Table
2
: a short-lived elementary particle of the lepton family that exists in positive and negative charge states and has a mass about 3500 times greater than an electron
called alsotau particle
3
: a protein that binds to and regulates the assembly and stability of neuronal microtubules and that is found in an abnormal form as the major component of neurofibrillary tangles
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebIn his lab, Harvard's Tanzi uses tiny organoids composed of human brain cells that can develop the typical amyloid plaques and tau tangles of Alzheimer's in just over a month. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 31 July 2022 Researchers at Washington University are studying a combination of drugs targeting both tau and amyloid. Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Many neuroscientists hope that tau-lowering therapies will show more promise than amyloid-lowering therapies such as Aduhelm and Biogen’s experimental drug lecanemab. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2022 Researchers also will want to know whether the drug affected amyloid markers such as plaques that build up in the brain or tau, another protein found in Alzheimer's patients. Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 16 June 2022 There will be blood tests soon that measure tau levels that reflect the brain tangles, and indicators of neuroinflammation, synaptic malfunction and metabolism.WSJ, 9 June 2022 If the tau Herculid shower turns out to be a dud, fear not, there are several other opportunities to witness meteor showers this year. Katie Hunt, CNN, 30 May 2022 The tau Herculid shower is predicted to peak on the evening of Monday, May 30 and the early morning of May 31. Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 May 2022 For other neurodegenerative diseases, tests for dysfunctional tau in a person’s blood or spinal fluid could signal who’s at risk. Sara Harrison, Wired, 26 Jan. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English taw, from Latin tau, from Greek, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew tāw taw