Isoform 1 of Cell division control protein 42 homolog

CDC42 (Cell division control protein 42 homolog) is a small GTPase that functions as a molecular switch regulating actin cytoskeleton dynamics, cell polarity, and migration. It is a key effector in Rho family signaling pathways that coordinate diverse cellular processes including vesicle trafficking and cell division (UniProt: P60953-1).

CDC42 is ubiquitously expressed across tissues and plays critical roles in neuronal morphogenesis, axonal outgrowth, and synapse formation—processes essential for proper brain development and function. The protein has been implicated in multiple signaling cascades relevant to neuronal health and plasticity, though UniProt records no specific disease associations for this entry.

In Alzheimer's Disease, CDC42 is significantly downregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue relative to age-matched controls, with a mean log2 fold-change of −0.65 across subcellular fractions (Chaparral AD proteomics, TMT-labeled DDA analysis). This reduced expression may reflect disrupted cytoskeletal dynamics and impaired cellular trafficking mechanisms implicated in AD pathogenesis.