GFAP and neurodegenerative disease: The large numbers of tasks they carry out make them indispensable for normalbrain functioning and it is important to understand whether these roles are subverted inthe course of neurodegenerative disease and perhaps exploited to transfer infectivity.Interestingly, in neurodegenerative diseases, one well-marked phenotype has beenreactive gliosis, including a strong astrocyte response marked by cleavage andupregulation of the astrocyte-specific intermediate filament GFAP.