Figure 4. List of representative factors that can modulate protein aggregation.
Since the concentrations of proteins in the cellular environment should be maintained below the critical levels, a wide range of quality control mechanisms is in place for this purpose (green side). A variety of events and processes, however, could shift the balance towards more aggregation-prone conditions (red side). A general goal of pharmacological interventions against neurodegenerative diseases should be a reduction of the driving force for protein aggregation by suppressing protein supersaturation.