The Synaptic Function of α-Synuclein

alpha-Synuclein is an abundant neuronal protein which localizes predominantly to presynaptic terminals, and is strongly linked genetically and pathologically to Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. While the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the form of misfolded oligomers and large aggregates defines multiple neurodegenerative diseases called synucleinopathies, its cellular function has remained largely unclear, and is the subject of intense investigation. In this review, I focus on the structural characteristics of alpha-synuclein, its cellular and subcellular localization, and discuss how this relates to its function in neurons, in particular at the neuronal synapse.