Cell biology of Parkinson's disease: Mechanisms of synaptic, lysosomal, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a growing cause of disability worldwide and there is a critical need for the development of disease-modifying therapies to slow or stop disease progression. Recent advances in characterizing the genetics of PD have expanded our understanding of the cell biology of this disorder. Mitochondrial oxidative stress, defects in synaptic function, and impaired lysosomal activity have been shown to be linked in PD, resulting in a pathogenic feedback cycle involving the accumulation of toxic oxidized dopamine and alpha-synuclein.